The Covid-19 rt-PCR laboratory set up for UAE passengers at Dhaka airport is fully prepared
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has said it is ready to carry out rt-PCR tests for expatriate passengers at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) from Tuesday.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has inspected the machines and given its approval.
The airport’s Health in-Charge Dr Shahriar Sajjad said that a letter had been sent to CAAB in this regard.
The letter, signed by the Nazmul Islam, director (Disease Control) and line director at the DGHS, said: "The Covid-19 rt-PCR laboratory set up for UAE passengers at Dhaka airport is fully prepared."
Testing activities began on a trial basis on Sunday morning.
The United Arab Emirates has imposed a condition that passengers travelling to the Gulf country will have to be tested for Covid-19 at the airport within 48 hours of the flight and have to have the reports six hours before departure.
The CAAB authorities earlier had said that if the test run was successful and they got the UAE authorities’ approval, they would start full operations.
However, till Monday evening CAAB had received no approval letter from the UAE authorities.
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CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Mafidur Rahman said the embassy of the UAE had assured that the letter would be received by Monday night.
CAAB verbally informed all concerned airways that passengers might be able to take the test from Tuesday and that airlines had already started selling tickets.
The aviation regulatory body will officially inform the airways after receiving certifications on the testing capacity and safety requirements from the DGHS, said CAAB chairman.
The chairman said: "The DGHS will send a certificate copy by tonight."
The CAAB chief also said: "The flight is starting tonight [Monday] under special arrangements. Around 63 UAE bound passengers will leave at 1:40am by Emirates flight EK-585."
Also, another flight is scheduled to leave on Tuesday as well.
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