Int'l flight suspension to extend for another week; special flights for expat workers to continue

The ongoing suspension of international flights to and from Bangladesh has been extended for another week, following the government's decision to extend the strict "lockdown" amid a spike in Covid-19 infections and deaths.

However, special flights to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, UAE, and Singapore will continue so that several thousand expatriate workers who have remained stuck in the country since April 14 can return to their workplaces in those five countries.

Air Vice-Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, chairman, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, confirmed this while talking to The Daily Star. 

Earlier on April 15, following the suspension of international flights from April 14, the government decided to operate around 100 special flights to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, UAE, and Singapore in a week from April 17.

CAAB, on April 11, suspended operation of all international passenger flights to and from Bangladesh for a week from April 14 following government guidance and instruction.

According to an estimate of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) and Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB), about 20,000 to 25,000 aspiring migrant workers were supposed to catch their due flights in a week starting from April 14.