76 Passengers Miss Biman Bangladesh Flight to Malaysia After Immigration Intervention

A total of 76 passengers scheduled to travel to Malaysia on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight were unable to board after immigration authorities intervened, while dozens of others who had already collected their boarding passes failed to appear at the boarding gate.

The incident occurred on Saturday night on Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-386, which departed from Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Malaysia carrying only 212 passengers, despite 288 tickets having been sold.

According to Biman Bangladesh Airlines spokesperson Bosra Islam, immigration authorities removed 10 passengers after they had already boarded the aircraft. Another five passengers were stopped at the boarding gate before boarding.

"An additional 61 passengers had collected their boarding passes but never arrived at the boarding gate," Bosra Islam said. "As a result, the flight departed with 76 fewer passengers than originally booked."

Airport officials suspect the passengers may have been part of an organized network attempting to travel to Malaysia for employment. Those intercepted by immigration were reportedly travelling for work.

Under standard airport procedures, passengers first check in their baggage and receive boarding passes before proceeding to immigration clearance, where officials verify passports, visas, and travel documents. After completing immigration formalities, passengers proceed to the boarding gate to board their flight.

Immigration operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport are overseen by officers from the Special Branch (SB) of the Bangladesh Police.

A senior SB official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said some passengers are denied departure to ensure safe migration and to protect the rights and security of Bangladeshi nationals abroad.

"There are various reasons for offloading passengers," the official said. "In the case of Malaysia, we have seen instances where travelers possess apparently valid visas but are later denied entry and deported by Malaysian authorities. We therefore exercise caution before allowing certain passengers to depart."

The official added that there was no immediate information suggesting the passengers involved had used forged visas. However, immigration authorities often assess whether a passenger's travel purpose is consistent with their socio-economic background and other relevant factors.

"For example, someone may be travelling on a tourist visa, but the overall circumstances raise concerns about the true purpose of the trip," the official explained. "Many such travelers are eventually sent back by Malaysian authorities, so we sometimes take preventive action before departure."

The Special Branch said it is reviewing the specific grounds on which the passengers were prevented from travelling in Saturday's incident.