News Desk :
The government is going to introduce special flights for migrant workers to travel to and from five countries amid a strict weeklong lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus in Bangladesh.
Flights to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Singapore would be launched soon, said Ahmed Munirush Salehin, secretary to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, after a meeting on Wednesday, reports bdnews24.com.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh or CAAB will confirm a detailed work plan on Thursday.
The meeting, chaired by Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, was attended by officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, chairman of CAAB and the managing director of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
In light of the decision, Salehin called on recruiting agencies to take the responsibility of bringing the migrants to the airport in compliance with the health rules, including a coronavirus-negative certificate.
Salehin added a decision was taken at the meeting to allow expatriate workers to come home, subject to various conditions.
International flights have been suspended by CAAB for the duration of the ‘all-out lockdown’ starting from Wednesday. The two flights which were scheduled to operate between Apr 14 and 20 have been brought forward.
Thousands of expatriates have been left stranded after international flights were cancelled due to the lockdown.
Abdul Wadud Saleh, a Qatari expatriate, said he has been homeless for more than a year amid the coronavirus pandemic. He took a loan to make the arrangements for his return to the Middle East.
“I spent 250,000 takas and decided to go back to Qatar. But the lockdown has started again. I don’t understand what the problem is with travelling. They should quarantine the people who are coming into the country.”
