PM declined to fly home on another plane and leave companions behind after mechanical fault delayed flight, says additional press secretary Rumon

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman returned home with all of his travelling companions even though a mechanical fault delayed the flight from Japan, Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon has said.

Atikur Rahman Rumon said a minor fault had appeared in the aircraft before the return from Japan. The prime minister could have returned on another aircraft if he had wished, but he did not want to leave everyone behind there.

Rumon said that at that moment the prime minister went to the other passengers on the plane, spoke to them and reassured them. The prime minister returned home together with them.

After a four-day official visit to Japan, the Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying the prime minister, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and the travelling party landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 2:48am on Thursday night.

Later, at a press briefing, the additional press secretary said a minor mechanical fault was detected during inspection before the flight left Japan. It was not a major problem, and it was quickly resolved with software.

At that time, the prime minister's wife Dr Zubaida Rahman arranged food for the children, Atikur Rahman Rumon said. He said she immediately reassured the passengers and, in particular, checked that the children did not cry and could return comfortably.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited Japan from 26 to 29 October at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

At the end of the four-day visit, the Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight departed Tokyo's Narita International Airport for Dhaka at 10:55pm local time on Thursday.

During the visit, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took part in a bilateral summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. He also met chairmen, chief executive officers (CEOs) and senior officials of various Japanese private companies and financial institutions.

Those meetings discussed strengthening economic and trade cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan and expanding Japanese investment in Bangladesh. During the visit, the prime minister also exchanged views with members of the Bangladeshi community living in Japan.

At the airport in Dhaka, he was received by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, BNP acting secretary general and prime minister's adviser Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, National Parliament Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani and Prime Minister's Press Secretary Saleh Shibli.