DHAKA, April 24, 2020 (BSS) – Bangladesh today brought back 332 more
Bangladeshi nationals, who were stranded in India due to flight suspension
amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
A total of 163 Bangladeshi citizens from Indian capital New Delhi and 169
from south Indian city Chennai arrived here by chartered flights of national
flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines and one of the private carrier US-
Bangla airlines respectively.
“Our special chartered flight landed at HazratShahjalal International
Airport (HSIA) from New Delhi at 4:50 pm carrying 162 adults and one infant
passengers,” Biman’s Deputy General Manager (PR) TaheraKhondokertold BSS.
Earlier, US-Bangla Airlines general manager Kamrul Islam told media that
their special flight operated by Boeing 737-800 ER aircraft arrived at HSIA
at 2:56 pm from Chennai carrying 164 adults and five infant passengers.
From April 20 to till today, a total of Bangladeshi 833 nationals were
brought back from India by five chartered flights while the passengers bore
the cost of their own tickets for the flights.
As per the government decision, all returnee Bangladeshis will be sent to
14-day institutional quarantine under management of the Armed Forces Division
(AFD) if they fail to show medical certificate at the airport on their
arrival here.
Meanwhile, a press release of Bangladesh mission in New Delhi said
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Mohammad Imran along with other
officials were present at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New
Delhi to extend cooperation to the returnee Bangladeshis.
It said most of the returnees Bangladeshi were under medical treatment in
India while another 164 Bangladeshi would be brought back Bangladesh from
Chennai tomorrow by a chartered flight of the US Bangla airlines.
The Bangladesh mission in New Delhi is working relentlessly to bring back
all the stranded Bangladeshis from all states of India and more chartered
flight will be operated upon approval of both the countries if required, said
the release.
It said so far more than 1,000 Bangladeshi citizens have already returned
home by air and road with the support of Bangladesh missions in New Delhi,
Kolkata, Mumbai, Guwahati and Tripura there after Indian government imposed
nationwide lockdown from March 25 to contain outbreak of deadly coronavirus,
it said.
The Bangladeshi mission said approval has also been granted for
repatriation of sick and senior Bangladeshi citizens by air from Tamil Nadu
and Karnataka.
On April 3, the foreign ministry issued a statement, saying that nearly
2,500 Bangladeshi citizens, including 1,000 students, are currently stranded
in India due to COVID-19 outbreak.
The government is firmly committed to bring them back quickly, who got
stuck in India and other countries, once the situation becomes convenient,
said that statement.
On April 11, Bangladesh extended ongoing ban on flight operation till
April 30 to and from all European countries and the nations that restricted
the entry of Bangladeshis to their territories, including India, as well as
on all domestic routes over the coronavirus scare.
Currently, regular commercial flights are being operated from Bangladesh
to China only.