Business Desk :
Bangladesh has resumed direct passenger flights with 12 countries following its resumption of international flights on 16 June.
However, no countries except the United Kingdom are issuing visit visas. All 11 countries are allowing passengers in from Bangladesh on a limited scale under several categories. Passengers with an employment visa, permanent residency status or medical visa can travel to those 12 countries. Further, the UK remains open for all passengers.
The 12 countries where Bangladeshis are allowed to enter now: are the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Turkey, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
Two more countries are likely to resume flight operations soon – India and China. Passenger flights with India are likely to resume from 28 October and China from 1 November.
The country is issuing all types of visas to passengers from Bangladesh. Biman Bangladesh Airlines is now operating two flights, weekly, to London – from Dhaka and Sylhet.
Malaysia: Malaysia is allowing only their citizens, permanent residents, students, and sailors to enter the country from Bangladesh. Biman Bangladesh Airlines currently has two weekly flights to Kuala Lumpur from Dhaka.
Singapore: The country is allowing passengers with visas, permanent resident status and medical treatment issues. However, it is mandatory that passengers stay in quarantine for 14 days, at their own cost, after entering the country.
Hong Kong: The country is allowing in passengers from Bangladesh who have employment visas. It is fining airlines that transport passengers infected with Covid-19.
If a passenger is found to be infected with the virus, on a flight, that respective airline will be restricted to operate flights for 15 days, and if three passengers on the flight have Covid-19, the airline will be restricted for three months.
As a result, very few special flights are being operated in Hong Kong.
Thailand: The country is allowing in its citizens, permanent residents and passengers for medical treatment purposes. The country strictly follows 14 days of mandatory quarantine for passengers and airlines are fined if virus-infected passengers are found on flights. In this situation, no air operator is operating regular flights to Thailand.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, the UAE: Passengers with employment visas are allowed to enter these countries. Visit visas are not allowed there. Biman Bangladesh Airlines is operating flights to Saudi Arabia.
India: Flight operations between Bangladesh and India are due to resume on 28 October after a seven-month-long break since 26 March. Though the air connectivity between the two countries came to a halt in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic, flight operations are going to start over under a special arrangement.
For now, visas will be provided under nine categories including: medical, business, employment, journalist, and diplomat.
China: Though cargo operations are allowed, passengers from Bangladesh are not allowed to enter the country. The country is expected to reopen passenger flights from 1 November.
