Serious allegations have emerged that luggage belonging to about 150 Hajj pilgrims was cut open and valuables stolen at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. The incident reportedly occurred around 3 a.m. on Tuesday when a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying 419 pilgrims arrived from Jeddah. The claim was first made on Facebook by Mostafa Kamal Palash, son of one of the returning pilgrims, who urged the Prime Minister to take notice of the matter.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ General Manager for Public Relations, Bosra Islam, said that only four to five pilgrims had verbally raised such complaints but did not file any written reports. He added that the airline’s security and aviation security teams were investigating the issue. Airport Executive Director Group Captain S.M. Ragib Samad stated that CCTV footage was being reviewed and that the matter was being treated seriously, even though no formal complaint had been lodged.

Authorities have confirmed that both airport and airline security units are jointly examining the allegations to determine the extent of the reported thefts.