A Dhaka-bound Biman Bangladesh Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner carrying Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was delayed on Thursday after a technical fault was detected in the aircraft’s spoiler shortly before takeoff from Narita International Airport in Tokyo.
According to Biman sources, rectifying the glitch could take several hours. Biman engineers and aircrew are currently working to repair the fault.
The VVIP flight, designated BG 377, departed the terminal at around 6:18pm local time. However, as the aircraft was pushing back and taxiing towards the runway, the pilot spotted a spoiler fault warning on the cockpit controls.
A spoiler is a hinged panel on the upper or trailing surface of an aircraft’s wing that serves to reduce lift during flight and assist in deceleration after landing.
Upon observing the indicator signal, the pilot contacted the control tower, cancelled the takeoff decision, and taxied the aircraft to a designated parking area on the tarmac.
Approximately 15 minutes later, the pilot, Imamul, announced that the flight could not proceed due to the technical problem, adding that two engineers were working to resolve the issue.
Contacted regarding the incident, Shahnur Ahmed of Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ public relations department acknowledged the technical fault on the prime minister’s VVIP flight.
In a press release issued later, Biman Bangladesh Airlines confirmed that Flight BG 377, carrying the prime minister and his entourage, was delayed in departing Narita for Dhaka due to the technical glitch.
The national flag carrier said its aircrew and engineering team were actively working to resolve the issue, adding that further information would be provided in due course.
Tarique, his wife Zubaida Rahman, and other members of his entourage remain on board the aircraft.
The prime minister was scheduled to depart Tokyo for Dhaka at 6pm local time, concluding his four-day state visit to Japan.
The flight was originally scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 10:35pm Bangladesh time. Tarique had arrived in Japan on 26 October at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
