PM surprises flight passengers

Passengers of a Biman flight were surprised to have Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in their midst while flying from London to Dhaka.

She greeted them, took the children on her lap, and posed for photos at Biman’s ‘Ranga Prabhat’ on Wednesday evening.

The prime minister was in London to take part in the maiden Girl Summit and hold bilateral talks with her British counterpart, David Cameron.

Besides Hasina’s 56-strong entourage, the plane had 320 passengers travelling to Dhaka and Sylhet.

The Awami League chief strolled out of business class soon after the plane took off from Heathrow Airport at 6pm Wednesday.

Special Assistant Mahbubul Hoque Shakil and a few of her security and personal staff were with her.

The passengers cheered on seeing Hasina in the plane’s aisle and most took out their phone cameras.

Soon, two children approached Hasina and handed a mobile phone to her security staff, asking him to take their photo, and the prime minister happily obliged.

She moved up the aisle, covering the entire Boeing 777 from front to back. She greeted the passengers, embraced the women and cuddled the children.

“I’m seeing Sheikh Hasina from this close for the first time in my life. She mixed with everyone so easily. She reminds me of my mother,” someone was heard as saying.