An unshakeable duo

From the day Eric Reja Khondker took his first flying lessons, was a dream for him: to fly an aircraft sitting next to his father.

That dream came true for him on Thursday, as chance brought the duo together in the same cockpit -- of a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.

Captain Khondker Nazmul Islam and his son, first officer Eric together flew a Boeing 737-800 aircraft to Bangkok and back, said Tasnim Akhtar, public relations manager of Biman.

“A lifelong wish fulfilled, a day I’ll never forget!” Eric said in a Facebook post, terming the experience “unreal”.

Tasnim said though they fly for different airlines -- Nazmul for Regent Airways and Eric for Biman -- the opportunity presented itself when Biman leased cockpit crews from Regent.

“This must have been a proud moment and a career highlight for both of them, and Biman would like to congratulate them on this epic flight,” Tasnim said. 

“This marks the second time in Bangladesh a father and son were in  the same cockpit crew,” Tasnim added, quoting a senior pilot of the  national flag carrier. 

The first such incident was in 2016, when  Capt Sarker Kamal Sayeed and his son Wazid Sayeed flew an airplane on  the London-Sylhet and Dhaka route.