A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight bound for Dhaka via Sylhet was grounded at Dubai International Airport late Tuesday night after engineers detected a mechanical glitch during a pre-departure inspection leaving 178 passengers stranded and forcing the national flag carrier to arrange emergency accommodation and meals.

The affected aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 (Flight BG-248), was scheduled to take off at 12:05 am on Tuesday (September 16). However, routine safety checks revealed a technical issue, prompting Biman to halt the flight “in the interest of passenger safety,” according to Boshra Islam, General Manager (Public Relations) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, who spoke to Jago News on Wednesday.

“All stranded passengers have been transferred to nearby hotels, and meal arrangements have been made,” Islam confirmed. “We deeply regret the inconvenience and are working round the clock to resolve the issue.”

Biman’s Engineering Department has mobilised a rapid response. A relief flight carrying engineers and necessary spare parts is scheduled to depart from Dhaka for Dubai on Wednesday night. If repairs proceed as planned, the aircraft is expected to resume its journey to Sylhet and then Dhaka later that same night.

Passengers, many of whom are returning expatriate workers and families, have expressed frustration over the unexpected delay but acknowledged the airline’s safety-first approach.

This incident comes at a time when Biman is facing increased scrutiny over operational reliability. While the airline has expanded its fleet and routes in recent years, mechanical delays and cancellations have occasionally disrupted travel plans drawing criticism from passengers and aviation watchdogs alike.

Still, Biman maintains that passenger safety remains its “non-negotiable priority.”