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A NOVOAir flight bound for Cox’s Bazar made an emergency landing at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Friday evening after developing a technical fault shortly after takeoff, with Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs and Civil Aviation Humayun Kabir among the passengers.
Flight VQ-935 departed Dhaka at around 6:50 pm. About 10 to 15 minutes into the flight, the crew detected a technical problem when the aircraft’s landing gear failed to retract properly, prompting the captain to abort the journey and return to Dhaka.
Humayun Kabir, who was on board, said the pilot made several unsuccessful attempts to retract the landing gear before deciding to make a precautionary return in the interest of passenger safety.
The aircraft remained in the air for about 40 to 45 minutes to burn off fuel and reduce its landing weight before making a safe emergency landing at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. No injuries were reported.
“I am not an aviation expert, but I believe the captain made the right decision by prioritising passenger safety and returning to Dhaka,” Kabir told reporters after the landing.
He said the situation created anxiety among passengers, with many becoming visibly worried and several children crying as the aircraft circled in the air.
“The aircraft had to remain airborne for some time because the landing gear could not be retracted properly. This allowed the pilot to prepare for a safe landing,” he said.
“By the grace of Allah, the aircraft landed safely and a major accident was avoided,” he added.
Following the incident, Kabir called for stricter airworthiness inspections of ageing aircraft operated by private airlines, saying passenger safety must remain the highest priority.
He stressed the need for regular and rigorous technical inspections of commercial aircraft to minimise the risk of similar incidents in the future.
NOVOAir has not yet issued an official statement explaining the cause of the technical fault or when the aircraft will return to service. Aviation authorities are expected to inspect the aircraft to determine the cause of the malfunction.