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More than 30 hours after arriving at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, hundreds of passengers remain stranded following a mechanical failure on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight operating on the Toronto-Rome-Dhaka route. With the aircraft still grounded, passengers remain anxious and uncertain about when they will finally be able to continue their journey to Dhaka.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-306 departed Toronto for Dhaka and landed in Rome for a scheduled technical stop. After an unexpected mechanical problem was detected, the aircraft was grounded and technical inspections and repairs were initiated to ensure passenger safety.
The flight was carrying more than 250 passengers. A large number of Bangladeshi passport holders are reportedly still inside the airport’s transit area. Under local immigration rules, passengers without the required transit or entry permission for Italy have not been allowed to leave the airport. By contrast, some passengers holding Canadian and European passports were able to leave the airport and stay at hotels because they faced no such legal restrictions.
Elderly passengers, children and people with health concerns have reportedly been among those most affected by the prolonged delay. Passengers said they were forced to remain inside the aircraft for around eight hours after it landed. They also reported difficulties with the air conditioning amid temperatures of around 38°C in Rome. Even after being taken off the aircraft, many passengers had to continue waiting inside the airport for an extended period.
Saima Rana, an associate professor at the University of Dhaka who was returning to Bangladesh after attending a conference in Canada, said passengers had spent long hours sitting or lying on chairs and floors. According to him, the lack of clear information about when they would be able to return home had added to their anxiety.
Former cricketer Syed Halim Shah and his son, national footballer Syed Kazem Shah, were also travelling on the flight with their family. Halim Shah said passengers had to remain inside the aircraft for a prolonged period after landing in Rome. He described the conditions as extremely difficult, particularly because the air conditioning was not functioning normally during the hot weather.
However, because Halim Shah and his family members hold Canadian citizenship, they were able to leave the airport and stay at a hotel. He said many Bangladeshi passport holders were still inside the airport.
Biman Says Assistance Is Being Provided
In response to passengers’ complaints, Biman Bangladesh Airlines said arrangements had been made to provide necessary assistance to those affected. The airline said passengers who were unable to leave the airport because of local immigration restrictions were being provided with food, water and other necessary support inside the terminal.
Biman also said it had made maximum efforts to arrange hotel accommodation for passengers. However, passengers who do not have legal permission to enter Italy cannot be transferred to hotels outside the airport because of local immigration restrictions.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines spokesperson and General Manager Bosra Islam said mechanical problems were an unfortunate reality, but passenger safety remained the airline’s top priority. She said the aircraft was grounded to ensure complete aviation safety.
According to her, local immigration authorities did not allow Bangladeshi and Nepali passport holders to leave the airport because of Italy’s Schengen visa requirements. Canadian and European passport holders, however, were able to be transferred to hotels because they faced no legal restrictions.
Engineering Team Sent to Rome
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has sent a team from its engineering department from Dhaka to Rome to restore the aircraft to service. The team is travelling with the necessary equipment and will work to identify and repair the mechanical problem.
The airline said the flight is expected to depart for Dhaka once the technical inspection and repair work is completed. According to the planned schedule, the aircraft is expected to leave Rome late on Saturday night and arrive in Dhaka the following day.
However, uncertainty remains among the stranded passengers. They say the actual situation will become clear only after the engineers arrive, inspect the aircraft and complete the necessary repairs.
Saima Rana said the same aircraft that brought them to Rome remained grounded. Until the engineers arrive and complete the repair work, passengers cannot be certain when they will finally be able to return home.
Questions Over Emergency Passenger Management
Mechanical failures are not unprecedented in aviation. Particularly on long-haul flights, unexpected technical problems can cause significant delays. However, the latest incident has raised questions about passenger management, accommodation arrangements and communication during prolonged disruptions.
The situation has been particularly difficult for elderly Bangladeshi passengers. Many have reportedly faced concerns over prolonged waiting, access to adequate rest, medication, food, communication and other essential assistance.
The incident has also highlighted the differences faced by passengers travelling on different passports. While Canadian and European passport holders were able to leave the airport and stay at hotels, a large number of Bangladeshi passport holders have had to remain inside the transit area.
As a result, beyond the mechanical failure itself, the incident has triggered renewed discussion about Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ passenger management, emergency assistance and contingency accommodation arrangements during prolonged flight disruptions.
Meanwhile, Biman Bangladesh Airlines has said that the subsequent Dhaka-Rome-Toronto flight operated using the same aircraft will also be delayed. This means passengers scheduled to travel on the next flight could also be affected by the technical problem.
