A false bomb threat that disrupted a Dhaka-to-Kathmandu Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight was traced to a woman attempting to prevent her son from traveling with his alleged extramarital partner.
The woman, along with two others, has been detained, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) officials said on Saturday.
RAB Director General (DG) AKM Shahidul Rahman revealed the details at a press briefing held in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka.
According to him, the woman called Air Traffic Control (ATC) from an unregistered number, claiming there was a bomb on the flight.
The warning triggered an emergency response, grounding the aircraft and initiating a three to four-hour security sweep. No explosive device was found.
“This was not the first time such a hoax has occurred, but it significantly tarnished the image of our national airline both domestically and internationally,” said the RAB DG, adding that similar incidents in the past have all turned out to be false alarms.
Following the threat, a joint operation involving the military and various intelligence agencies led to the overnight arrest of three individuals linked to the call.
The investigation revealed that a man named Imon had planned to fly to Nepal with his romantic partner.
His mother and wife, learning of the affair, tried to prevent the trip but failed. A friend of Imon, identified as Imran, then advised the mother to make a hoax call to ATC claiming there was a bomb on the flight—hoping this would delay or cancel the departure. Acting on this advice, Imon’s mother made the false call.
RAB has condemned the act as “shameful” and “unacceptable,” warning that such behavior harms the country’s reputation and the credibility of its national institutions. “Let this serve as a warning,” said DG Shahidul Rahman, “any repeat of such actions will be met with strict legal consequences.”
The flight eventually departed for Kathmandu three hours later, once the aircraft was cleared by security teams.
The three arrested individuals are Imon’s mother Rasheda Begum, his wife Tahmina, and his friend Imran. Legal proceedings are underway.
