A total of 54 flights from Dhaka to Middle Eastern destinations were cancelled over two days after several countries in the region temporarily closed their airspace following US–Israel strikes in Iran.
The cancellations took place from Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning due to security concerns, leaving nearly 10,000 passengers facing uncertainty and hardship.
Airport officials said, that amid the evolving situation in Iran, countries including Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Qatar temporarily closed their airspace. This directly impacted flight schedules from Dhaka.
Group Captain SM Ragib Samad, Executive Director of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, said 27 flights were cancelled on Saturday and another 27 on Sunday, disrupting travel plans for nearly 10,000 passengers. He added that on Saturday night, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and the Civil Aviation Authority arranged accommodation for some affected passengers, while many others returned home.
Meanwhile, Biman Bangladesh Airlines said in a statement on Sunday that its BG-337 flight from Dhaka to Medina, which was cancelled on Saturday, departed at 4:00 pm on Sunday. Similarly, the BG-335 flight to Jeddah, previously cancelled, left at 7:00 pm on Sunday. The airline urged passengers to arrive at the airport at least four hours before departure.
Biman’s General Manager (Public Relations), Bosra Islam, said that except for Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, flights to other Middle Eastern destinations would operate as per schedule.
On the other hand, US-Bangla Airlines said its flights to Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Muscat in Oman operated according to schedule. The airline also requested passengers to arrive at the airport at least four hours before departure.
Amid the ongoing situation, visa validity, accommodation issues and financial losses have emerged as major concerns for Middle East-bound passengers.
Authorities said, that until the situation stabilizes, uncertainty will persist. The aviation authorities also confirmed that passengers of suspended flights are being given priority seats on upcoming flights.
