ZCZC
BSS-40
SPECIAL-FLIGHT-EXPAT
Special flights to 5 countries for expats from April 17
DHAKA, April 15, 2021 (BSS) – The government has decided to allow
airlines operating special flights to five countries — Saudi Arabi,
Oman, Qatar, UAE and Singapore — from April 17 so that stranded
Bangladeshi expatriate workers here can go back their workplaces.
The decision was taken today at a virtual inter-ministerial meeting
chaired by foreign secretary Masud bin Momen.
“At the meeting, we have decided to allow the airlines to operate
special flights to four Middle East countries and Singapore from April
17 so that our expatriate brothers can reach their host countries,”
CAAB chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman told BSS after the
meeting.
A large numbers of expatriate Bangladeshi workers have been stuck
here as the Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) imposed a ban
on all commercial international and domestic flight operations for one
week from April 14 to check the new spike of COVID-19.
The ban has forced to cancel more than 500 regular flights as
currently 70 to 75 flights have been operated to and from Dhaka per
day.
The movement of chartered flights, cargo flights, air ambulance and
special flights are kept out of the restriction.
Earlier, CAAB suspended passenger flight operations on all domestic
routes following weeklong countrywide restriction from April 5.
Last year, Bangladesh suspended all commercial flights for more
than three months to check outbreak of the pandemic.
BSS/ASG/TA/MRU/2306hrs