Flight operations on international routes from Bangladesh will resume on June 16 after 86 days of suspension due to coronavirus pandemic.
The resumption of international flight operation will begin with a passenger flight of Qatar airways landing at Hajrat Shahjalal International Airport on June 16. After staying one hour on ground, Qatar Airways will return to Doha carrying only transit passengers.
Director of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, captain, Tawhid-ul-Ahasan said, “The whole airport has been disinfected in accordance with the directives from CAAB. To ensure social distancing, a seat will be left empty in between two in the waiting room to the boarding gate”
According to a circular issued by CAAB, inbound passengers will have to submit coronavirus-negative certificates to the concerned authorities 72 hours prior to entering Bangladesh.
CAAB also said, if any passenger arrives without a coronavirus-negative certificate or is found with coronavirus symptoms will be sent to mandatory institutional quarantine for 14 days.
CAAB Chairman Air vice Marshall Mofidur Rahman told the journalists that carriers who wish to run flights in Bangladesh will have to abide by the instructions of CAAB which was drafted in accordance with the guideline of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
To curtail the coronavirus outbreak, the government shut all international flights except UK, China, Hong Kong, Thailand from March 21 to 31. On April 7, Bangladesh put all international routes on the air traffic block list, except for routes in China.
Qatar airspace still remains closed for Bangladeshi passengers but only ca be used as a transit for other destinations.
Earlier on June 1, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) allowed domestic flights to resume on a limited scale maintaining social distancing and following health guidelines.
