In an extraordinary lapse of aviation security, Bangladeshi authorities allegedly permitted a senior government adviser to board an international flight despite an AK-47 magazine being recovered from his cabin baggage at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
The incident occurred early on Sunday morning, when Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, adviser to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, was preparing to depart for Marrakesh, Morocco, to attend an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting.
Bhuiyan, who was travelling on a diplomatic passport (No. D00018185), was intercepted at the ninth boarding bridge security checkpoint after his bag triggered a metal alert during scanning. Security personnel discovered the rifle magazine inside his carry-on luggage. According to sources within the Bangladeshi intelligence apparatus, the item was later confirmed to be a magazine compatible with an AK-47 assault rifle.
Despite the severity of the find, Bhuiyan was reportedly allowed to proceed and board Turkish Airlines Flight TK-713, which departed Dhaka at 7.08 a.m., after he claimed he had “forgotten to remove” the magazine from his bag. He was accompanied by three aides and is believed to have transited through Istanbul en route to Marrakesh.
The episode has drawn severe criticism from security officials and experts, who describe it as a “potentially catastrophic” breach. “It raises serious questions about how a person with such sensitive material was not detained. The chain of command within the DGFI and police must be investigated for both acts of omission and commission,” said a former chief of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), requesting anonymity.
Adding to the alarm, eyewitnesses confirmed that Bhuiyan’s personal secretary, Mohammad Abul Hassan—who holds the rank of Joint Secretary—was permitted to leave the airport with the confiscated magazine without any formal questioning or documentation.
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No official statement has yet been issued by Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus or Home Ministry Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.
Internal sources have since revealed that Bhuiyan had accessed the VIP lounge and bypassed standard screening procedures before heading to the departure gate, further fuelling suspicions of procedural compromise in the name of protocol.
Intelligence circles have also linked Bhuiyan to a network of former student leaders who allegedly played a role in the July–August 2024 anti-government protests that turned violent. According to a senior intelligence officer, “Bhuiyan and others involved in the uprising may still possess high-powered weapons. This incident proves we have not neutralised all threats to the state.”
The same officer added, “We need to investigate how these student coordinators obtained such weapons in the first place. This is no longer an isolated security lapse—this touches the core of our national security.”
The situation has prompted concerns over Bangladesh’s internal vulnerabilities and airport security systems, particularly in the handling of VIP passengers. As criticism mounts and official silence prevails, the incident is likely to invite international scrutiny, particularly given Bhuiyan’s diplomatic status and the destination of the flight.
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