UNB, Dhaka :
The government has decided to operate special flights of national flag-carrier Biman to five countries, including four in the Middle East with high concentration of Bangladeshi expat workers from April 17.
As disclosed by Tahera Khandaker, deputy general manager (public relations) of Biman on Thursday, these special flights can be availed tofly to three cities in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah), two of the United Arab Emirates (Dubai and Abu Dhabi), Oman’s Muscat, and Qatar’s Doha in the ME, as well as the city-state Singapore.
“The passengers who have made reservations for scheduled flights, set to operate after 6am Saturday, are requested to be at the airport with Covid-19 negative certificates six hours before the departure time,” she said.
The government suspended the operation of all domestic and international passenger flights to restrict the spread of Covid-19 in the country for the duration of the ‘all-out lockdown’ that came into effect on April 14.
However, the special flight services will allow overseas workers currently stuck in Bangladesh for whatever reason to return to their places of work amid the suspension of regular flights.
“Special flights will be arranged for the overseas workers who have got stuck in the country following the government’s strict lockdown. Bangladeshis who work in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Qatar and Singapore can leave the country under the special arrangements,” Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad told UNB on Wednesday.
“The five countries are still open for Bangladesh as there is no problem in those countries,” he said.
The minister also said, “The recruiting agencies concerned are responsible for bringing the overseas workers with Covid-19
negative certificates to the airport and they’ll have to follow health guidelines as well.” Answering a query about how many workers have got stuck, the minister said: “It’s difficult to say about the exact number but it might be 25000-30,000 as the recruiting agencies claim.”
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday said the government has made coordinated efforts to help expatriates return to their workplaces in five countries by special flights from Saturday without any hassle.
“Many reached out to us after the announcement of lockdown saying they’ll lose their jobs if they can’t go abroad, and their visa validity or Iqama will expire. We don’t want to see our expatriates face any difficulty,” he told UNB.
The government decided to allow airlines, including Biman Bangladesh Airlines, to operate special flights to five countries — Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore — in an effort to help stranded Bangladeshi expatriate workers join their workplaces.
Asked about possible rise in ticket fare, the Foreign Minister said normally the fares of special flight tickets remain comparatively higher than that of regular flight tickets as the return flights will be empty.
However, he said, the ground handling charge will remain the same which will help keep the ticket fares at a tolerable level.
Dr Momen said travel arrangements will be made on a priority basis for those who have visas and work permits.
Those who bought tickets for April 14, 15 and 16 but could not leave Dhaka for their destination due to suspension of flight operations, arrangements will be made for them, too on a priority basis so that they can reach their destinations, he said.
Dr Momen said the government has made arrangements to bring those passengers in Dhaka who purchased tickets from Chattogram as the special flights will be operated from Dhaka only.
“We’re seeking to maintain the normal schedule for the special flights but it would not be known as commercial flights,” said the Foreign Minister.
He said the relevant ministries and departments are working in a coordinated way, and police will not stop them who booked tickets and have Covid-19 test reports. “We’re working in a coordinated way.”
The government has decided to discourage expatriate Bangladeshis to return home during the lockdown, unless there is an emergency.
“If they come, they’ll have to follow a minimum 14-day mandatory institutional quarantine,” Dr Momen said.
To convey the message to expatriates, support from the social media platforms, Bangladesh missions’ websites and community leaders will be taken.
Each of the returnees will have to show Covid-19 negative certificate which is a must, and the Bangladesh missions abroad will prepare the lists of those who need to come to Bangladesh on an emergency need.
The Armed Forces Division will take adequate preparations for institutional quarantine facilities in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet.
