179 Bangladeshi expats stuck in Muscat airport after suspension of flights from Oman
Bangladeshi passengers wait in line at the Muscat International Airport in Oman after their flight had to be cancelled yesterday due to a directive issued by CAAB. Photo: Collected.
Ezaz Mahmud
Ezaz Mahmud
A total of 179 Bangladeshi expatriates are stuck at the Muscat International Airport after Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (Caab) added Oman to a list of 12 countries from which passengers would not be allowed to enter Bangladesh as part of the country s Covid-19 containment measures.
Two special flights from Muscat to Dhaka had to be cancelled yesterday night due to the new directive issued in a circular yesterday.
Flights to Middle East: Sky-high airfare adds to migrant workers’ woes
Airfare to different Middle Eastern countries has increased manifold in the last few months, putting an additional burden on migrant workers returning to their workplaces.
A year ago, a ticket to Saudi Arabia cost between Tk 20,000 and Tk 25,000 in most cases. But nowadays, a ticket to the same destination would cost Tk 90,000-95,000, recruiting association leaders said.
In some cases, expatriate workers end up paying Tk 1.10 lakh or more for a Biman or Saudi Arabian Airlines ticket, M Tipu Sultan, president of Recruiting Agency Oikkya Parishad, told The Daily Star yesterday.
Projects hit snags with suspension of flights Staff Correspondent Staff Correspondent
Several major projects involving Chinese contractors are facing problems due to the week-long suspension of international flights, project officials and contractors said.
They said many people, including experts, in these projects have to come from and go to China on a regular basis, and the suspension from Wednesday was hampering their movement.
Meanwhile, China Railway Group Limited, also known as CREC, contractor for several of the projects including the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project, yesterday urged the authorities to resume Bangladesh-China flights.
The CREC, on behalf of the other Chinese contractors working in Bangladesh, made the appeal, reads a press release sent through its PR agency.
Australia to lift air cargo ban on Bangladesh
Australia is set to lift its ban on direct cargo flights from Dhaka, a move that is expected to boost Bangladesh s shipments to the continent. The Australian government has already taken an initiative to amend rules. There are also some other procedures. Direct flights will resume after the completion of the procedures, Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Jeremy Bruer told The Daily Star yesterday.
The Australian government is amending the associated policy, said Bruer, according to a press release of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (Caab).
He held a meeting with Caab Chairman Air Vice Marshal Mafidur Rahman at the latter s Dhaka office yesterday.