71 passengers vanish from Dhaka airport after immigration clearance: Report

Over 70 passengers reportedly “vanished” from the Dhaka airport on Saturday night even after securing their boarding passes and immigration clearance for travelling to Malaysia.

Authorities suspect that the passengers held “forged documents and fled the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after reports broke out that similar illegal immigrant aspirants were caught red-handed.

Around 8:35pm, Biman Bangladesh Airline’s BG-386 flight to Malaysia left the airport with 169 passengers. It was authorised to carry 245 passengers.

The remaining 76 passengers did not board the flight even after getting their boarding passes and immigration clearance, after news broke out of an illegal immigration attempt.

Five passengers were held at the boarding gate after officials noticed a mismatch between their passports and visas.

The flight later left without the 76 alleged illegal immigrants, all of whom held “tourist visas.”

Sources said, the immigration authorities have the tools to verify “e-visas.” But on Saturday, they gave clearance to 76 passengers without proper scrutiny. It could not be immediately known how widespread or old the practice is.