The government has made the decision of organizing a special chartered flight to take Bangladeshi citizens back home who have been stranded in the UK since the suspension of international flights between Dhaka and London amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines will be chartered and operated by Bangladesh Air Force Welfare Trust (BAFWT) and is scheduled to arrive in London Heathrow Airport on May 10 and depart the same day, according to Bangladesh High Commission in London.
Earlier, the Bangladesh High Commission in London requested to arrange a special flight.
Since suspension of international commercial flights between Bangladesh and the UK in end-March, Bangladesh High Commission London undertook several initiatives and efforts to reach out to Bangladeshi citizens and students stranded in the UK, with an advisory to register with the High Commission for their repatriation facilitation.
In view of large number of Bangladeshi students having registered with the "Bangladesh High Commission, London Covid-19 Emergency Repatriation Committee”, the High Commission in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangladesh and Bangladesh Air Force (BAF), has arranged this special chartered repatriation flight for all stranded Bangladesh citizens in the UK.
Earlier, at the request of Bangladesh High Commissioner Saida Muna Tasneem to the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the British High Commission in Dhaka, the British government agreed to repatriate 100 Bangladeshi students stranded in the UK by a British government chartered flight dedicated to bringing back British nationals from Bangladesh.
However, given the overwhelming numbers of stranded Bangladeshis wishing to return to Bangladesh, the Bangladesh government decided to arrange a special flight chartered by the Bangladesh Air Force.
The High Commission of Bangladesh has conveyed its deep appreciation to the British government, in particular, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and FCO Minister for South Asia Lord Tariq Ahmad as well as British High Commission in Dhaka for extending their hands of friendship and goodwill in willing to accommodate Bangladeshi students in their dedicated repatriation flight.
(Source: UNB)
/teb
