CAAB: 14,000 expatriate workers have left country in 5 days

UNB

Published at 11:10 pm April 22nd, 2021

Migrants-Syed Zakir Hossain/Dhaka Tribune

File photo: Bangladeshi workers bound for Malaysia waiting in a queue at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka Syed Zakir Hossain/Dhaka Tribune

Transit passengers of other countries also flew along with these 14,000 expatriate workers

A total of 14,000 expatriate workers have left Bangladesh for Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Singapore from April 17 to 21 amid the countrywide lockdown enforced to contain the Covid-19 transmission.

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice-Marshal M Mafidur Rahman said the workers flew for their destinations after special flight operations for expatriates resumed on April 17.

Besides, transit passengers of other countries flew along with these 14,000 expatriate workers, he said.

Earlier on April 15, the government decided to operate special flights of national flag-carrier Biman to five countries, including four in the Middle East with high concentration of Bangladeshi expat workers, from April 17.

The special flights can be availed to fly to three cities in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah), two of the United Arab Emirates (Dubai and Abu Dhabi), Oman's Muscat, and Qatar's Doha in the Middle East, as well as the city-state Singapore, said Tahera Khandaker, deputy general manager (public relations) of Biman Bangladesh Airline.