Bangladesh resumes international flights after 3 months of COVID-19 halt

Earlier, on March 21, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh shut down all domestic and international flights in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Dhaka: Bangladesh's national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines resumed international flights on Sunday (June 21) after a gap of three months due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The maiden flight of BG001 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for London with 187 passengers on board, airline's Deputy General Manager (Public Relations) Tahera Khandaker told The Daily Star.

Passengers from Dhaka to London route do not require health certificates declaring that they are not infected with COVID-19, said Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).

But they will have to fill-up a health declaration form as per the International Civil Aviation Organization's guidelines, he added.

The CAAB chief also said that all London-bound passengers will have to stay in quarantine for 14 days as per the policy of that country.

The national carrier will primarily operate one weekly flight - on Sundays - on the Dhaka-London-Dhaka route, the report said.

The passengers were provided hand sanitiser, gloves and masks, said Tahera.

Instead of usual in-flight dishes, passengers were provided dry meals in food boxes, in line with guidelines provided by the International Civil Aviation Organization following the global COVID-19 pandemic, she said, adding that passengers were also not served any cold drinks.

Since mid-February, the airline gradually suspended flight operations on all 18 international routes due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. On March 30, Biman operated its last official flight on the London-Dhaka route, the report said.

Earlier, on March 21, the CAAB shut down all domestic and international flights in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

On June 1, CAAB permitted operation of all domestic flights maintaining social distancing and following health guidelines.

The death toll from the novel coronavirus infection in Bangladesh has climbed to 1,464 after 39 fatalities were registered across the country on Sunday, bdnews24.Com reported.

Another 3,531 people tested positive for COVID-19 in the 24 hours, raising the tally of infections to 112,306, according to the health directorate.