"Evacuation (if required more) will be done on a case by case basis," he told UNB as a total of 316 Bangladesh citizens returned home on a special flight on Saturday.

The Bangladesh envoy said it will be based on the ground situation and in consultation with the Chinese authorities.

"However, providing safety, welfare and security of our citizens remains our prime concern and objective," he said, adding that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given clear instructions to that end.

A total of 316 Bangladeshi citizens were brought back from China’s Wuhan, the epicentre of the new coronavirus outbreak, on Saturday morning and seven of them were sent to Kurmitola General Hospital.

Managing Director of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Mokabbir Hossain said 316 Bangladeshis, including three infants, arrived here from Wuhan city of China.

Assistant Director of the Directorate General of Health Services Dr Shahriar said 309 of them have been kept at the quarantine unit at Ashkona Hajj Camp while seven were admitted to Kurmitola General Hospital.

He said four of the passengers were suffering from fever while three others from cough and sneezing.

Contacted, Director of Kurmitola General Hospital Brig Gen Jamil Ahmed said the doctors at the hospital found their temperature normal when they were brought to the hospital.  

Samples of the seven Bangladeshis were sent to Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) for testing, he said.

A special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the Bangladeshis landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:53am.

On Friday, Beijing said the death toll rose by 46 to 259 - all of them in China and 249 in Hubei province, according to BBC.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said it is expected that further international exportation of cases may appear in any country.