RT-PCR booths relocation soon

The RT-PCR sample collection booths will be shifted to car park building from Terminal-1 at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) soon to facilitate the Covid-19 test for UAE-bound migrant workers before their scheduled flights for the gulf country.

According to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has made it mandatory for passengers from Bangladesh to depart within six hours taking an RT-PCR test at the airport.

Group Captain AHM Touhid-ul Ahsan, executive director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, told The Business Post that infrastructure development has started on the second floor of the nearer car parking building as per the government directive.

CAAB officials say RT-PCR lab staff and airport authorities are going through a rigorous pressure every day in the sensitive terminal building because a huge number of Bangladeshi expatriates are departing for the UAE through the Dhaka airport.

Besides, shifting the sample collection booths is expected to bring in some relief for both passengers and the authorities concerned.

A total of 87,000 passengers departed for the UAE from last September to November 9, with RT-PCR tests from six laboratories installed at the airport. Of them, only 40 tested Covid-19 positive when scanned second time at Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah international airports of the UAE.

On the other hand, RT-PCR labs installed at the gent’s prayer room on the ground floor of Terminal-1 of the airport will not be removed from there.

CAAB Executive Director AHM Touhid-ul Ahsan said, “A very insignificant number of passengers tested Covid-19 positive at the overseas airports. It is a good sign for us that our six RT-PCR laboratories give a good report on Covid test.”

A total of six private laboratories approved by the government have been installed at the airport.

The six are Gulshan Clinic Limited, Stemz Health Care (BD) Limited Dhaka, CSBF Health Centre, AMZ Hospital Limited, Anwer Khan Modern Medical College Hospital and DMFR Molecular Lab and Diagnostics.

The UAE-bound expatriates said they wait 8 to 10 hours at the Dhaka airport for sample collection and receiving Covid-19 report which, sometimes, makes them fall behind their flight schedules.