Biman pilot denied entry in Qatar for not carrying passport

A pilot of Biman Bangladesh Airlines has been denied entry at the immigration of Doha International Airport in Qatar for not carrying his passport.

Captain Fazal Mahmud was denied entry by Qatar immigration after it was found that he travelled without passport, Ashraf Hossain, general manager (central control) of Biman, told The Daily Star.

Contacted, Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Muhibul Haque said that a flight of private airline Regent Airways took off from Dhaka airport for Doha at 7:30pm this evening carrying the passport of Captain Fazal Mahmud.

The incident is an outcome of the pilot’s irresponsibility, the secretary said.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has said steps will be taken against the pilot after investigation into the incident, Muhibul Haque told The Daily Star quoting the minister.

The pilot is presently held at the immigration of Doha airport. He left his passport in a locker at the control room of Biman’s Flight Operations, Ashraf Hossain said.

Captain Mahmud, the pilot of a Biman Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, flew from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Doha last night to bring Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina back home after her tri-nation official visit.

PM Hasina is now in Finland and is expected to return to Bangladesh on June 8.