In an effort to contain Covid-19 in the country, the civil aviation regulator on Thursday banned the entry of passengers from all European nations, except the UK, and 12 other countries, to Bangladesh from April 3.

The twelve countries are Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Peru, Qatar, South Africa, Turkey and Uruguay, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said in a release.

 The CAAB has issued the circular after reviewing the ongoing Covid-19 situation throughout the country and worldwide. The entry ban will be in force from April 3 to April 18.

 Airlines operating scheduled passenger flights from all the above-mentioned countries will be allowed to carry only transit passengers to Bangladesh, subject to the conditions that they remain confined inside the terminal building only.

Irrespective of the Covid-19 vaccination, all passengers coming to Bangladesh shall mandatorily possess and show ‘PCR-based Covid-19 negative certificate’ during departure from origin and on arrival at an airport in this country.

Also read: 14-day institutional quarantine mandatory for travellers from European countries: CAAB

The PCR test shall be done within 72 hours of the flight departure time. If no Covid-19 symptoms are found on arrival, passengers shall strictly have to complete a 14-day home quarantine, the regulator said.

However, if any Covid-19 symptoms are detected, passengers shall have to undergo mandatory 14 days isolation at government facilities at their own expenses.

Passengers coming from other countries, that's except those mentioned earlier, and exiting from the transit at the airport, shall have to obtain a fresh Covid-19 negative certificate as the existing one would be deemed null and void.

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In addition, on arrival in Bangladesh, all such passengers shall have to complete mandatory four days institutional quarantine at government facilities or government-approved hotels at their own expenses.

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Samples will be collected for the Covid-19 PCR test and the passenger will be released to complete the 14 days' home quarantine (including the institutional quarantine) if the result is negative.