PM leaves Tokyo to home after nearly 5 hrs delay

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s flight has finally left Narita International Airport, Japan, on Thursday (29 October) after nearly five hours pause due to a technical glitch in the plane.

The flight finally departed to Dhaka from Tokyo at 10: 44 local time (Japan) after delayed for 4.45 hours as the Biman Bangladesh Airlines aircraft developed a technical glitch shortly before takeoff.

Sources, from prime ministers office, confirmed it.

Earlier, the aircraft left the airport terminal around 6:18pm local time and moved to the runway for takeoff.

However, it stopped there before taking off, and the pilot, Imamul, announced after around 15 minutes that the flight could not proceed due to a technical problem.

He said the two engineers were working to resolve the issue and the flight will resume once the technical glitch is repaired. Later, the aircraft was taken back to the tarmac.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and other members of his entourage are on board the aircraft.

The Prime Minister was scheduled to leave Tokyo for Dhaka at 6pm local time, wrapping up his four-day state visit to Japan.

The flight was originally scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 10:35pm Bangladesh time.

Tarique arrived in Japan on October 26 at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.