History of aviation in Bangladesh

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The history of aviation in Bangladesh began with

Dhaka Nawab Family
in 1882, which resulted in the death of the flyer.

Early era

Unmanned flight

Kite flying was one of the many different forms of entertainment of the elite people of

Mughal period. It became a festive tradition during the period of Nayeb-e-Nazim Nawajesh Mohammad Khan in the 1740s.[1] Kite flying is still a popular pastime in Bangladesh, especially right after the monsoon.[2] In the older parts of Dhaka it is one of the most popular activities.[3] Kite painting was a specialised art form in the 18th century in Bangladesh.[4] Some kites of Bengal has been known to keep flying for three months. They were big kites tied to anchors with stout ropes.[5]

Kite flying festival had long been a major festival. The

Bengali calendar (30th Choitro, mid April). It is a major event for competitive kite flying and boat racing.[7][self-published source] Combating fighter kite flyers trying to slash each other's carefully sharpened kite-string is a major part of the competition.[8] In West Bengal the major kite flying festival happens on the day of Makar Sankranti or end of winter (mid January), and Vasant Panchami (late February).[9][10]

First manned flight

Jeanette Rumary (as "Jeanette Van Tassell") performed with Park Van Tassell when she died following the first manned flight in Bangladesh in 1892

Jeanette "Jenny" Rummary (performing as "Jeanette Van Tassell" along with Park Van Tassel), was a young

Buriganga River opposite from the Ahsan Manzil. Ascending in the balloon, she jumped via parachute as planned to make her descent but was caught in a Casusrina tree in Ramna Park. During her rescue, she unfortunately fell to the ground and died two days later from her injuries. She was interred in the Christian Cemetery at Narinda, Dhaka.[11][12][13]

World War II

Main article:
Burma Campaign
Burma Campaign
Thunderbolts of No. 30 Squadron RAF taxiing past a line of Hawker Hurricane Mark IICs, at Cox's Bazar
Thunderbolt Mark Is of No. 135 Squadron RAF lined up, being overflown by three other Thunderbolts at Chittagong

Modern aviation in modern Bangladesh area began when the British Government of India built a Royal Indian military airstrip in

Jessore, Rajshahi and Lalmonirhat
.

In August 1943, a South Asia Command was formed under

Burma Campaign against the Empire of Japan in the December that year. The Royal Indian Airforce (RIAF), Indian part of the Royal Air Force played a crucial role by providing tactical reconnaissance and extensive close support to the army when a British Corps started advancing down the Arakan coast in January 1944.[citation needed
]

In November 1943,

4 Squadron joined the operations when it was moved first to Feni airfield, and then to Comilla in June to replace 6 Squadron.[17] In March 1944, the squadron moved to Feni for operations against the Japanese. The role of the squadron was to provide close Air support to the XIV Army. it was from Feni that the squadron carried out its first operational sorties by providing fighter escort to Dakota, engaged in supply dropping missions in the northern Burma. From August 1944 to January 1945, No. 4 Squadron was based at Cox's Bazar and carried out CAS, interdiction and tactical recce operations.[17]

In May 1944,

10 Squadron had also been moved into the operational area at Ramu.[citation needed] With the fall of Rangoon on 3 May 1945, the operations in Burma were reduced to mopping up of small pockets of resistance. By the end of June most of the Royal Air forces squadrons were withdrawn, leaving only 8 Squadron to assist in the mopping up.[citation needed
]

The

Burma. Biman Bangladesh Airlines earns most of its revenue from this airport.[20]

Civil aviation

Main article: Pakistan International Airlines
See also: East Pakistan Helicopter Service
DC-3
from the 1940s

When the war was over, the colonial government decided to build the

DC-3 flights from Karachi to Dhaka on 7 June 1954, forming a critical connection between the capitals of geographically separated East and West Pakistan. On 11 March 1955, Orient Airways merged with the government's proposed airline, becoming Pakistan International Airlines Corporation, later rechristened as Pakistan International Airlines
(PIA).

The Eastern Pakistan Flying Club was established in 1948. By 1960,

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971[citation needed] and lost a couple of its aircraft to Indian Air Force fighters.[21] Between 10 and 13 March, immediately before the war started, Pakistan International Airlines
cancelled all their international routes to urgently fly "Government Passengers" to Dacca. These "Government Passengers" were almost all Pakistani soldiers in civilian dress.

Incidents and accidents

Liberation War

Main article:
East Pakistan Air Operations, 1971
Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman

During the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had fought extensive engagements in the sky over Bangladesh. The first engagement was on 22 November over the Salient of Boyra in West Bengal.[25] In the process Tejgaon Airport suffered extensive damage.

Bangladesh Air Force was organised in India with the initiative of Squadron Leader Sultan Mahmud (Ex-PAF Pilot), Captain Shahabuddin Ahmed (Ex-PIA Pilot), Captain Akram Ahmed (Ex-Plant protection Pilot) and Captain Sattar (ex-PIA Pilot) and Captain Sarfuddin (Ex-PIA Pilot). Later many Bangladeshi ex-PAF Officers joined in Bangladesh Air Force in India. Finally Bangladesh Air Force was formed in late July 1971. Indian Air Force trained these Officers July 1971 through November 1971 as fighter pilots. Bangladesh Air Force first went in action on 3 December 1971 and attacked the Chittagong-based Oil tank depot and oil tank depot was totally destroyed by that air attack. The Air attack was conducted by Capt. Akram Ahmed. The second Bangladesh Air Force attack was on 6 December 1971 at Moulovi Bazar Pakistani Army barracks under the command of Squadron Leader Sultan Mahmud, where Captain Shahabuddin Ahmed was co-pilot.[26]

Then, on the night of 3 December 1971,

MiG-21s of No. 28 Squadron.[citation needed
]

Throughout 4 and 5 December, IAF concentrated in attacking the aircraft on the ground. But, it failed to cause significant damage to the PAF assets in well-dispersed and

Shamsher Nagar
through the war, denying their use to PAF.

On 20 August 1971

Jessore and Kamra.[29]

Post-independence

Resumption of civil aviation

The first civil flight of independent Bangladesh operated from Tejgaon Airport by Capt. A. Rahim on 1 January 1972 with a Cessna 150. The first international flight from Independent Bangladesh destined to Calcutta departed on 10 January 1972. The aircraft, a Douglas DC-3 subsequently crashed, killing the aircrew.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines was formed with one Boeing 707 left behind by PIA.

Bangladesh Air Force

Main article: Bangladesh Air Force
An-32
Cline

The

Air Vice Marshal and Chief of the Air Staff of BAF) was appointed as the commander of 'Kilo Flight'. After having some basic training on air to ground weapon delivery, 'Kilo Flight' successfully bombed a fuel storage in Chittagong and Narayangonj area and thus the journey of BAF had commenced. During the last phase of the Bangladesh Liberation War the newly formed Bangladesh Air Force carried out 12 successful attack missions over Pakistani targets.[citation needed
]

After liberation in 1971, the Bangladesh Air Force received equipment from the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China—a clutch of Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighters; Antonov An-24 and Antonov An-26 transport aircraft; and Mil Mi-4 helicopters.

Shahjalal International Airport started operation in 1981. It is the home base and hub of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, GMG Airlines and United Airways.

Bangladesh Naval Aviation

Main article: Bangladesh Naval Aviation

Bangladesh Naval Aviation is the Aviation wing of Bangladesh Navy. At present Bangladesh Naval Aviation is operating two Agusta Westland Helicopters from Italy and two Dornier class Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) from Germany. [30] Bangladesh Naval Aviation wing was established in 2011, when two AgustaWestland AW109 helicopters were accepted into service. Two Dornier Do 228NG maritime patrol aircraft joined the service in 2013 [30][31]

Incidents and accidents

  • 10 February 1972: A Biman Bangladesh Airlines Douglas DC-3 crashed near Dhaka, while it was performing a training flight, killing all 5 people on board.[32]
  • On 28 September 1977:
    Japan Airlines Flight 472 en route from Mumbai to Tokyo was hijacked by 5 Japanese Red Army terrorists shortly after takeoff, and forced the plane to land at then Zia International Airport.[33] The terrorists' demand of $6 million and release of 6 JRA terrorists from Japanese prison was met by the Japanese Prime Minister.[34] Bangladesh Air Force was deployed to control the situation in the ground and to facilitate negotiations.[33]
  • 18 November 1979: A
    stall in landing configuration was performed at 8000 feet. Both engines of the aircraft flamed out and could not be re lit, forcing the crew to land in a field near Savar. The aircraft ran through embankments, causing the nosegear and right main gear to collapse. None of the four people on the flight died in the accident.[35]
  • 5 August 1984: A Biman Bangladesh Airlines Fokker F27-600 (registered S2-ABJ) crashed into a marsh near Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. The aircraft was performing a scheduled domestic passenger flight between Chittagong Patenga Airport, Chittagong and Zia International Airport, Dhaka. The crash was a controlled flight into terrain caused by bad weather.[36] The captain of the flight was Kaniz Fatema Roksana, well known as the first female commercial pilot of Bangladesh.[37] With a total death toll of 49 people, it is the deadliest aviation disaster to occur on Bangladeshi soil.[38]
  • 22 December 1997:
    Fokker F28-4000 (registered S2-ACJ), crashed onto a paddy field 5.6 kilometres from the foot of the runway of Osmani International Airport in heavy fog. 17 passengers were injured.[39]
  • 27 June 1998: An Air Parabat flight from Ishwardi Airport crash-landed on its belly in a field near Savar due to some technical problems with the aircraft. Five crew and two passengers on board escaped unhurt.[40]
  • 27 September 1998: A training flight on a Cessna 150 of Parabat flying academy crashed, killing two trainee pilots.[40]
  • 7 June 2002: A training flight on The Cessna-150 (S2-AAM) of Air Parabat flying Academy crashed due to heavy strom killing its lone licensed pilot Mukhlesur Rahman Saqueeb (32), steward of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.[41]
  • 22 April 2003: A storm in Dhaka damaged three
    Fokker F-28 aircraft parked at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The storm, strongest in three years, had a wind speed of up to 111-km per hour.[42]
  • 11 July 2003: An Air Memphis cargo flight (operated by a Boeing 707, registered 5X-AMW) bound for Queen Alia International Airport, Amman from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka was forced to abort takeoff for unknown reasons. The aircraft failed to abort takeoff successfully and overran the runway of the airport by 450 meters before the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft came to rest at a marsh. None of the five crew members were killed in the incident.[43]
  • 8 October 2004: Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-601 (from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka to Osmani International Airport, Sylhet) carrying 79 passengers and 4 crew, operated by a Fokker F28-4000, overran the wet runway of Sylhet and ended up in a ditch. Two passengers were injured.[44]
  • 8 June 2005: A Bangladeshi fighter trainee pilot of Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) crashed his plane into a neighbourhood on the outskirts of the capital, killing one person and injuring four others. The Chinese-made F-7 plane on a training mission came down at midday on the Uttara residential area. The pilot ejected with minor injuries just 100 yards away from the flaming wreckage. The house onto which the jet had crashed was completely destroyed, while two adjacent houses were partly damaged.[40]
  • 1 July 2005:
    McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 (registered S2-ADN) caught fire and the engine on the right wing separated from the aircraft, sinking into mud. Of the 201 passengers and 10 crew on board, 10 received injuries but there were no fatalities. Investigations found that the wheel-box of the aircraft went out of order. The aircraft was later written-off.[45][46]
  • 25 May 2008:
    Zia International Airport in Dhaka from Medina. There were no fatalities among the 307 passengers and 19 crew on board. An investigation determined a fuel leak to be the cause of the fire.[47]
  • 10 September 2008: A flight attendant on board
    Airbus A320). After the aircraft landed in Chittagong, the aircraft was searched but no bomb was found. A passenger on board the flight named Nasir Uddin was found guilty of the hoax, which caused panic among passengers and had grounded the aircraft at Chittagong for two hours.[48]
  • 1 March 2012: A fire broke out on the second floor of the terminal building of Shah Amanat International Airport, Chittagong at around 4 pm. No injuries or casualties were reported. Airport fire brigade managed to douse the flame by 6 pm. The fire had severely damaged the second floor of the terminal disabling the two jet bridges forcing airport authorities to bring out the reserve portable ones. Several flights including 4 international ones had to be delayed, grounding several aircraft at the airport and diverting a few other. As many as 2000 passengers had to wait for several hours at the parking lot for their flight.[49]
  • 30 April 2012: A
    Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka. The aeroplane suffered a runway excursion while landing. It came to rest against a concrete barrier, causing substantial damage to the right hand wing. Two passengers reportedly suffered minor injuries.[50]
  • 13 August 2012:
    Shahjalal International Airport. The first officer received an eye injury.[51][52]
  • 5 April 2013: A fire broke out in the cargo village of
    Shahjalal International Airport at around 11:30 am.[53] Ten units of Fire Service and Civil Defence rushed to the spot and doused the fire one-and-a-half-hour later. Flight schedules were unaffected by the fire.[54]
  • 25 April 2013: A 2-seater Cessna 152 (S2-ABI), a flight training aircraft of Bangladesh Flying Academy crash landed at Shah Makhdum Airport, while landing in the airport at 4:24 pm. The aircraft flipped upside-down, the flight instructor and trainee pilot inside escaped with minor injuries.[55]
  • 28 September 2013: A
    Dhaka when sparks and smoke were observed from the right hand main landing gear during roll out, the aircraft stopped on the runway. The airport was closed for about one hour as result of the emergency.[56]
  • 2 November 2013: Air Arabia flight 522, operated by an
    Sharjah. All aboard were unhurt.[57]
  • 30 May 2014: Air Arabia flight 524 bound for
    cabin pressurisation problems 45 minutes after taking off. The aircraft returned to Chittagong, making a safe emergency landing. The same aircraft made the flight two hours later, after the problems with the aircraft were fixed.[58]
  • 20 July 2014: United Airways Flight 501, an ATR 72–212 registered S2-AFN, was performing a domestic flight en route to Cox's Bazar from Dhaka, carrying 43 passengers and 5 crews, when the nose gear collapsed after safely landing at Cox's Bazar Airport.[59] This caused severe damage to the front fuselage of the aircraft. The airport was shut down for 22 hours until the aircraft was safely removed from the runway.[60]
  • 1 April 2015: A Cessna 152 (S2-ADI) aircraft of Bangladesh Flying Academy crashed at Shah Makhdum Airport and got engulfed by fire after the pilot conducted a rejected takeoff, sensing technical problems on the aircraft at around 2 pm.[61] The accident left the trainee pilot Tamanna dead, also leaving the flight instructor with critical burn injuries, who later died.[61]
  • 13 May 2015: A
    Mi-17 helicopter on a training flight belonging to the Bangladesh Air Force crash landed Shah Amanat International Airport, Chittagong and caught fire. All three people on board sustained major injuries and were hospitalised.[62]
  • 29 June 2015: A F-7MB aircraft on a training flight belonging to the Bangladesh Air Force that took off from Shah Amanat International Airport, Chittagong crashed into the Bay of Bengal, six miles off Patenga Beach. The pilot of the aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Rumman Tahmid, remains missing despite a large scale search that only turned up debris of the aircraft.[63][64]

References

  1. ^ Khan, Sadat Ullah (2012). "Kite2". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  2. ^ Enamul Haque, An Anthology on crafts of Bangladesh, page 102, National Crafts Council of Bangladesh, 1987
  3. ISBN 978-1-4094-1103-1
    .
  4. ISBN 984-512-337-6
  5. ^ Popular Science, page 14, 12 January 1930, The Modern Publishing Company
  6. ^ Shakrain festival. The Daily Star. 19 January 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  7. ISBN 9781493175048
  8. ^ Elena Martinez, "Kite flying from Silk Road to Roosevelt Avenue", The Voice: Journal of New York Folklore (Volume 31), Spring-Summer, 2005
  9. ISBN 9781909268418
  10. ISBN 9780887291333
  11. ISBN 978-0-8263-6282-7
    .
  12. ^ A daredevil balloonist flown in from America Archived 4 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine. NawabBari Official Website. Retrieved: 5 July 2007
  13. ^ The Van Tassel Family History Homepage. Retrieved: 5 July 2007
  14. ^ a b c d Uddin, Syed Mohd Saleh (2012). "Airports". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  15. ^ No. 6 Squadron from Bharat-Rakshak
  16. ^ No. 8 Squadron Archived 12 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine from Bharat-Rakshak
  17. ^ a b No. 4 Squadron from Bharat-Rakshak
  18. ^ No. 9 Squadron Archived 23 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine from Bharat-Rakshak
  19. ISBN 0-89201-092-4
  20. ^ "Sylhet Osmani airport a nightmare for passengers". The Daily Star. 13 July 2003. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
  21. ^ Aircraft Losses In Pakistan −1971 War (PAF, Army Aviation, and Civilian aircraft Casualties) – by P V S Jagan Mohan Archived 1 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  22. Aviation Safety Network
  23. ^ UK CAA Document CAA 429 World Airline Accident Summary
  24. Aviation Safety Network
  25. ^ India-Pakistan War 1971: Introduction Archived 6 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Tom Cooper & Shais Ali. Air Combat and Information Group. Retrieved: 5 July 2007
  26. ^ Ahmed, Akram; Ahmed, Shahabuddin. "Interview with Captain Akram Ahmed and Captain Shahabuddin Ahmed" (Interview). Dhaka: ATN Bangla.
  27. ^ "Men of Valor". Goecities. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. The PAF was taken out of battle when the IAF bombers destroyed the only airfield in Dacca, twice.
  28. ^ Selim, Md (2012). "Rahman, Birsrestha Matiur". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  29. ^ Rashid Minhas: The glorious pilot By Rabbia Javaid, from Dawn
  30. ^ a b "BN History". Archived from the original on 25 February 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  31. ^ "Bangladesh Naval Aviation".
  32. Aviation Safety Network
  33. ^ a b "JAL 1977 plane hijack in Dhaka: Japanese filmmaker to make documentary". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  34. ^ "Japanese Red Army member's life sentence to stand". Japan Times. 15 September 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  35. Aviation Safety Network
  36. Aviation Safety Network
  37. ^ "First in Bangladesh- First Bangladeshi". Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  38. ^ "AROUND THE WORLD; 49 Die in Bangladesh As Plane Plunges". The New York Times. 6 August 1984. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  39. ^ "Aviation Safety". Aviation-Safety. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  40. ^ a b c "58 killed in 9 air crashes since '71". The Daily Star Bangladesh. 2 July 2005. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  41. ^ "Dhaka plane crash kills one". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  42. ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Fokker F-28 S2-ACV Dhaka-Zia International Airport (DAC)". Aircraft Safety Network. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  43. ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 707 Dhaka-Zia International Airport (DAC)". Aircraft Safety Network. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  44. Aviation Safety Network
  45. ^ "Biman escapes possible crash-landing in Chittagong". 9 July 2007. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  46. Aviation Safety Network
  47. Aviation Safety Network
  48. ^ "Bomb hoax in Ctg-bound flight from UAE". The Daily Star Bangladesh. 11 September 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  49. ^ Fire at Ctg airport
  50. Aviation Safety Network
  51. ^ "Plane lost windshield in mid-air". The Daily Star. 29 August 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  52. ^ "Accident: United Airways ATR72 near Dhaka on August 13th 2012, windshield completely blown out". The Aviation Herald. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  53. ^ "Fire at Shahjalal airport". The Daily Star. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  54. ^ "Fire fighters douse Dhaka airport fire". Bangladesh News 24. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  55. ^ "Training plane crashes in Rajshahi". The Daily Star. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  56. ^ "Incident: Atlanta Icelandic B744 at Dhaka on September 28th 2013, overheating brakes". The Aviation Herald. 28 September 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  57. ^ 161 passengers escape unhurt at Shah Amanat airport
  58. ^ Aircraft makes emergency landing in Chittagong
  59. Aviation Safety Network
  60. ^ "Accident: United Airways AT72 at Coxs Bazar on July 20th 2014, nose gear collapse". The Aviation Herald. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  61. ^ a b "Plane crash in Rajshahi kills female pilot". The Daily Star. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  62. ^ "Air force chopper crash lands in Ctg, 3 hurt". The Daily Star Bangladesh. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  63. ^ "Coastguards find debris of Bangladesh Air Force's F-7 fighter jet, pilot still missing". bdnews24.com. bdnews24. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  64. ^ "Bangladesh Air Force's fighter jet crashes into Bay of Bengal". The Daily Star. Retrieved 13 July 2015.

General sources

External links

Aviation schools

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