A Novoair flight bound for Cox’s Bazar made an emergency landing in Dhaka after a mechanical fault prevented its landing gear from retracting. The incident occurred on Friday evening shortly after the aircraft took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The flight, identified as VQ-935, departed at 6:50 p.m. and encountered the issue about 10 to 15 minutes later. Despite multiple attempts, the captain was unable to retract the landing gear and decided to return to Dhaka. The aircraft circled in the air for around 40 to 45 minutes before landing safely.

Prime Minister’s civil aviation and tourism adviser Humayun Kabir was among the passengers on board. He later stated that the captain’s decision was entirely correct and taken in the interest of passenger safety, though the extended flight time caused anxiety among passengers. Following the incident, Kabir urged stricter fitness inspections for older aircraft operated by private airlines, emphasizing that there can be no compromise on passenger safety.

He added that regular and effective fitness checks could help prevent similar risks in the future.