The National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 has recommended relaxing the obligatory Covid rt-PCR test for people travelling abroad by air.
The necessity of the test for fully vaccinated air passengers should be determined in line with the requirement of the destination country, it said.
The NTAC has also recommended allowing travellers, vaccinated at least 14 days before travelling, to enter Bangladesh.
It also suggested that unvaccinated passengers must undergo the rt-PCR test 72 hours before travelling.
The committee made the recommendations during its 56th meeting, held virtually, on Wednesday night in light of recent developments around the world, according to a press release issued by NTAC chief Prof Dr Shahidullah yesterday.
Global media have reported that after nearly two years of changing rules and guidelines, destinations around the world are loosening travel restrictions for vaccinated visitors by striking out testing requirements for entry.
Countries like Denmark, Norway and Sweden have already lifted almost all the restrictions for travellers, while many countries like the United Kingdom and Australia have lifted the Covid test requirements for countries listed as safe zones. Many countries, like Austria, have eased the obligation for those who have proof of booster doses.
France dropped testing requirements for vaccinated travellers from February 12 and Greece from February 7.
According to the US CDC, Bangladesh is at level three -- which means the country is still being considered as a high infecting one but allowed to travel.
As the demand for rt-PCR tests could vary based on destinations, the NTAC recommended that the test should not be mandatory but rather be subjected to the requirements of the destination country and airline.
They said, however, that Covid vaccination certificates should be made mandatory. Airlines should ensure that the certificates are provided by passengers before they board flights.
The NTAC recommended that unvaccinated people or people who have received at least one shot of the vaccine must undergo an rt-PCR test 72 hours before travelling or within the timeframe the destination country demands.
Analyzing the global situation, they also recommended that passengers who got vaccinated at least 14 days before travelling to Bangladesh could be exempted from carrying the test certificate.
But if the passengers are not fully vaccinated, they will have to carry an rt-PCR test negative certificate, conducted 72 hours before their arrival.
During its meeting, the NTAC also expressed satisfaction over the declining Covid infection rate and recommended reopening educational institutions after February 21.
But the panel of experts asked that the authorities ensure that all students aged above 12 are fully vaccinated before they attend in-person classes and that primary schools should conduct academic activities online until the situation improve further.
It also urged everyone to follow the health safety rules and wear face masks and asked the authorities to provide Covid vaccine booster doses to the highest number of the population as soon as possible.
