Kamruzzaman Bablu :
Bangladeshi migrant workers are facing an acute ticket crisis on Middle-East (ME) bound routes due to suspension of flights from Bangladesh by four international airliners.
The suspension of flights has created a monopoly to other airliners causing big opportunity to section of travel agents to hike the airfare of ME bound flights.
Such a situation has created an uncertainty for many of Middle East bound Bangladeshi migrant workers and jobseekers, insiders said.
They said Bangladeshis are in fear of cancellation of their Visa due to the air ticket crisis on Middle-Eastern bound routes.
According to Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA), around 25,000 Bangladeshis flying abroad for jobs every day, some 2,000 are going to the ME countries.
“The number of flights to ME countries dropped significantly due to recent suspension of flight operation from Bangladesh by Etihad Airways, Oman Air, Fly Dubai and Jet Airways. This has pushed up airfares sending trouble to Bangladeshi migrant workers,” BAIRA Secretary General Shameem Ahmed Chowdhury Noman, told The New Nation adding that inadequate flights and high airfares also created uncertainty for Bangladeshi jobseekers.
“If the jobseekers cannot be sent there timely, it will affect the overseas job sector from which Bangladesh earns around US$15 billion a year,” added Shameem Chowdhury.
In this situation, Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) and Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) have already sent letter to the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry to take initiative in this regard.
But, the ministry is yet to take initiative to solve the problem, said leaders of both the organizations.
When asked, Mohibul Haque, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, said, there is no scope for monopoly any travel agent to artificially increase airfare.
One must provide his or her name and passport’s information to book a ticket. Once a ticket is sold, it cannot be resold to others. Only dates and time can be changed,” he told The New Nation.
He further said his ministry has already permitted the Emirates to operate one more flight to Dubai from Dhaka every day. The airline now operates three flights a day.
Generally, from July to September, the number of international passengers increases. Despite increasing volume of passengers day by day, the Etihad Airways, Oman Air, Fly Dubai and Jet Airways have recently suspended their operation from Bangladesh without showing any reason.
“Just two month ago, airfare for Saudi Arabia-bound passengers from Dhaka was around Tk 20,000 (one way). Now it has shot up to over Tk.60,000,” said Farid Ahmed Mojumder, Managing Director of Al-Supta Overseas.
He cited that the airfare has gone high because of the recent suspension of flights from Bangladesh by the said airliners. Monir Ahmed from Nangalkot Upazila of Comilla told this correspondent that he has Saudi visa, but the recruiting agent is saying that there is a shortage of air ticket. “I was supposed to fly within a week. But it has become uncertain due to ticket crisis,” he said.
