More than 800 Umrah pilgrims faced significant disruption after a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight developed a technical fault at Osmani International Airport in Sylhet, delaying flights between Sylhet and Jeddah by nearly 22 hours.
According to Osmani Airport Director Hafiz Ahmed, the aircraft arrived from Dhaka on Monday afternoon and was scheduled to depart for Jeddah as Flight BG-0235 with Umrah passengers. However, engineers detected a mechanical problem after landing, preventing its scheduled departure.
A technical team began repair work on Tuesday morning, and after nearly five hours of maintenance, the aircraft was cleared for service. It finally departed for King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah at 4:55pm Tuesday.
The delay affected around 401 passengers waiting in Sylhet and another 400-plus passengers stranded at Jeddah for approximately 14 hours, as the same aircraft was scheduled to operate the return Flight BG-0236.
Passengers complained that Biman failed to provide timely update regarding the delay. They alleged the airline's website continued to display the flight as "on time," preventing many from making alternative travel arrangements.
Several passengers criticized the airline's handling of the situation. Travelers in Jeddah said they were moved to a low-standard hotel and served poor-quality meals, with some claiming the food caused illness. Others said the prolonged delay disrupted business commitments and personal schedules.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines' Sylhet Manager Shariful Hasan confirmed that Flight BG-0235 carried 401 passengers, with a similar number booked on the return flight. He said the lengthy delay was caused solely by the aircraft's unexpected technical malfunction.