Bangladesh on Saturday cancelled all the international passenger flights until March 31 with 10 countries to be effective from 12 am on Sunday to restrict the spread of coronavirus in the country.
International commercial passenger flights with 10 counties — Malaysia, Oman Singapore, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey, India, and Bahrain – have been suspended, said Group Captain AHM Towhidul Ahsan, Director of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
On March 15, Bangladesh suspended on arrival visas for all countries for two weeks. Besides, passengers will not be allowed to enter Bangladesh from all European countries except England until March 31.
On March 19, Biman Bangladesh Airlines cancelled all its flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Flights to and from the two destinations will remain suspended until March 31, said Mokabbir Hossain, Managing Director of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
Bangladesh reported the country’s first death from coronavirus on March 18 as the total coronavirus cases now stand at 20.
The pandemic coronavirus has so far infected 275,871 people around the world as of Saturday, according to worldometer.
Of them, 172,561 are currently treated with 7,765 being in serious or critical condition.
So far, 103,310 cases had outcomes and of them, 91,912 (89 percent) recovered and 11 percent died.
COVID-19 is affecting 185 countries and territories around the world and one international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harboured in Yokohama, Japan).
The World Health Organization on March 11 declared the coronavirus crisis a pandemic. –UNB, Dhaka
