Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Shahjalal International Airport authorities said there was 'no truth' to the allegations that the SAFF Championship-winning women's football team had their luggage broken into and money stolen at the airport after returning from Nepal.
A notice signed by Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Executive Director Md Kamrul Islam on Thursday claimed that complaint of luggage and currency missing was not true. The authorities check all the CCTV footage.
Earlier the footballers complained that about USD 900 and Tk 50000 (Bangladeshi taka) were stolen from footballer Krishna's bag. This footballer who scored two goals in the final match lost about Tk 150000.
Not only that dollars and money of Sanjeeda and Shamsunnahar (senior) were also stolen. In this regard, Tahura informed the media, "Krishna and Sanjeeda had 900 US dollars and Senior Shamsunnahar had USD 400 in her bag and Krishna had Tk 50000 local currency. Besides, Ritu Parna's luggage has been dragged and damaged too."
Shamsunnahar said, "I lost USD 400. Krishna's USD 900 and Tk 50000 were in her luggage. Such incident has never happened before. It happened to me this time."
Bangladesh Association of Contact Centre and Outsourcing (BACCO) Secretary General Towhid Hossain told Bangladesh Post that he is yet to get any solution to this complaint.
However, he demanded an inquiry into the matter and compensation for missing belongings.
The media personnel waited in front of Biman's head office from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. Despite repeated requests, there was no response from the Biman authorities. Later, journalists took position in front of the main gate of the Balaka Bhaban. At one point, Biman's deputy manager (public relations) Dulal Chandra Das was forced to face reporters.
Dulal Chandra Das said that the truth of these allegations was not found. All are requested not to spread misleading information.
Besides, in the face of a public uproar, the national flag carrier and the airport authorities issued separate statements to refute the allegations.
The aircraft that brought the players home from Nepal left the airport after the Bangladesh Football Federation's protocol representative and two team officials inspected the luggage tags and found them fully intact and locked, the airport's Executive Director Md Kamrul Islam said.
BFF representatives and the players collected their luggage in proper condition, according to Tahera Khondker, Biman’s general manager of public relations. No complaints were lodged regarding the loss of any belongings from the baggage when they were collected.
“BFF representatives left the airport with the luggage loaded onto two vans. After reviewing the CCTV footage from various parts of the airport, the allegations were not found to be true."
