Engine was fine, fault was in software: additional press secretary Rumon explains the delay to the prime minister's flight

Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG 377, carrying the prime minister and his entourage, could not take off on schedule from Japan's Narita International Airport because of a mechanical fault. In that situation the prime minister could have returned home on another aircraft, or stayed on in Japan. Instead, he decided to return on the same flight with his entourage.

Additional Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Atikur Rahman Rumon told journalists these things at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Friday (30 October).

He said a mechanical fault is a common occurrence that can happen. But this was not a major fault of any kind. Because of it, the flight's departure was delayed by about one and a half to two hours.

The additional press secretary said the fault was detected during checks before the aircraft took off. The aircraft's engine was completely fine; a software-related problem connected with air control and the movement of the wings had appeared, and the flight was readied after it was resolved.

Atikur Rahman Rumon said the prime minister had the opportunity to return home on another flight, and could even have stayed in Japan. But he reassured his travelling companions and promised to return with everyone on the same flight. In the end, he came back with all of them.

Describing the situation during the delay, he said the prime minister spoke with everyone at that time and enquired after them. During that time, the prime minister's wife arranged food especially for the children on the flight and made sure the children could travel without trouble and in comfort.

Meanwhile, a press release from Biman Bangladesh Airlines said that, in the presence of Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat and the deputy managing director of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Biman's engineering team and Japanese technicians jointly completed the repair of the technical fault.

The release further said that after the repair, the flight was pushed back at 7:43 pm Bangladesh time on Friday and flight BG 377 safely began its journey to Bangladesh at 7:55 pm.