Flight operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka were disrupted on Sunday (January 08, 2023) as heavy fog covered the capital like the past few days. Eight international flights have been diverted and operations of seven others were delayed due to dense fog, Group Captain Kamrul Islam, executive director of the airport, told UNB. Read more: Two flights from Middle East make emergency landing in Sylhet due to dense fog Flights of Salam Air, Kuwait Air, Air Arabia, Jazeera Airlines, Gulf Air, Malindo and BG-350 airlines were diverted to Kolkata airport in India while the flight of Air Asia airline to Yangon in Myanmar. Flights of seven airlines-- Oman Air, Biman Bangladesh, Qatar Airways, Emirates Airlines, Saudia Airlines, Himalaya Airlines and Fly Dubai Airlines—were delayed due to poor visibility caused by dense fog. Earlier on January 4, an international flight was diverted to Hyderabad in India and operations of seven others were delayed due to the same reason. Read more: Dense fog: 1 int'l flight diverted, 7 delayed at Dhaka Airport On January 3, two international flights carrying passengers from Qatar and Saudi Arabia headed for Dhaka airport made emergency landings at Sylhet Osmani International Airport due to dense fog.

Amid a global scare over the new Omicron variant of Covid-19, India on Wednesday backtracked on its decision to resume international flights from December 15. India's civil aviation regulator said that the decision was taken to limit any possible spread of the Omicron variant in the country and an effective date of resumption of scheduled international passenger flights "shall be notified in due course". Fortunately, not a single case of Omicron variant of coronavirus has been detected in India so far. Read: India announces new travel rules amid Omicron scare "In view of the merging global scenario... the situation is being watched closely in consultation with all stakeholders and an appropriate decision indicating the effective date of resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services shall be notified in due course," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said. The regulator's latest move comes barely five days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked officials to review the Civil Aviation Ministry's decision to resumption regular international flights from December 15 over Omicron scare. After a long Covid-induced hiatus, the Civil Aviation Ministry last Friday said that it would allow regular international passenger flights from December 15. Read: India to resume regular international flights from Dec 15 "The matter of resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services, to and from India, has been examined in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Health, and it has been decided... may be resumed from December 15," as per the Ministry's order. The Indian government put curbs on all domestic and international flights in March last year in the wake of the Covid-induced lockdown. Though it allowed domestic flights from May 2020, restrictions prevailed on international flights till it allowed the entry of all foreigners except tourists in October that year.

After a long Covid-induced hiatus, India will resume regular international flights from the middle of December. This was announced by India's Civil Aviation Ministry on Friday. "The matter of resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services, to and from India, has been examined in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Health, and it has been decided... may be resumed from December 15," the Ministry said in an order. Read:EU wants to stop flights from southern Africa over variant The Indian government put curbs on all domestic and international flights in March last year in the wake of the Covid-induced lockdown. Though it allowed domestic flights from May 2020, restrictions prevailed on international flights till it allowed the entry of all foreigners except tourists in October that year. However, restrictions on regular international flights to and from 14 countries, including the UK, France, Germany, China, Botswana and South Africa, will continue, government sources told UNB. Read:South African scientists detect new virus variant amid spike The Indian Civil Aviation Ministry's decision to resume scheduled international flights comes amid fears over a new variant of the coronavirus -- the B.1.1.529 strain -- that has spread to Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong since its detection in South Africa. "All passengers coming to India will need to have downloaded a government contact-tracing app, and they will also be subject to thermal screening. Also, flyers will also need to wear masks and gloves while inside airports," the sources said.

As the work on the expansion of Cox's Bazar Airport runway gains momentum, officials involved with the project hope to get it ready for direct international flights by 2023, almost a year before the schedule. “The runway expansion work is going on really fast,” director of the project Yunus Bhuiyan told UNB in a recent interview. “Although the project is scheduled to be completed in May 2024, our target is to complete the work by November 2023,” he said. Read World-class third terminal of Dhaka Airport to be visible by Dec: CAAB Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority Air Vice Marshal M Mofidur Rahman said that Cox's Bazar will have an international standard airport once the runway expansion work is completed. He said Cox's Bazar airport is going to find a place in the list of world's most beautiful airports. Tourists from different parts of the world can come directly to the tourist centres of the region. “Pretty soon it would turn into an international airport. New generation Boeing 777-300 ER, B-747, Airbus and other big planes will be able to take off at this airport. This would create a regional aviation hub at the airport,” he noted.  Read PM inaugurates work on Cox's Bazar Airport’s runway upgradation The runway will be expanded to 10,700 feet to become the longest runway in Bangladesh after the expansion project is completed. And 1,300 feet of the runway will run into the sea. As part of the renovation the authorities have already completed construction of a new terminal building, increased supply of power, installation of airfield ground lighting system and other works   Sea sand filling work is underway near Sonadia Island in Maheshkhali, work on the terminal building inside the airport is nearly completed. Infrastructure and casting work on the terminal building has already been completed; finishing works will be done soon. Besides, the old terminal building is being repaired. Read Cox's Bazar Airport set to get a spectacular maritime runway

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has now imposed restriction on foreign flights due to the increasing rate of Covid-19 infection rate in the country. Flights from eight countries - India, Nepal and South Africa, Botswana, Mongolia, Namibia, Panama and Tunisia under Group- A, would not be able to enter Bangladeshi airports, said a circular Monday. The restrictions would be effective until further notice. READ: Domestic flights to operate for international passengers only Bangladeshis who visited the eight countries in the last 15 days could travel to Bangladesh over special permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bangladeshi engineers of ships who left the Group- A countries within past 15 days of travel to Bangladesh could return showing valid documentary evidence about their profession and signing off. Arriving to the country, 14-day institutional quarantine at government-nominated hotels at their own expense must be maintained READ: Domestic flights resume Wednesday People from Group-B countries were permitted to travel to and from Bangladesh. The countries in Group-B are - Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Georgia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, UAE, UK and Uruguay. Vaccinated passengers would have to stay at a 14-day strict home quarantine, upon arrival. In contrast, passengers not vaccinated must stay at a 14-day institutional quarantine at a government nominated hotel at their own cost. READ: Stringent lockdown: Biman's domestic flights suspended till July 7   Passengers from counties other than Group- A and B would have to complete a 14-day home quarantine as well. Incase of Covid-19 symptoms detection on the arrival, the passenger would be sent to a government hospital and might be sent to isolation at government-nominated hotels, depending on the intensity of it.

Commercial flights between Dhaka and some 38 countries will resume from Saturday (May 01, 2021), according to the country's civil aviation regulator. However, flights to high-risk countries will remain suspended, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said in a notification on Friday night. According to the notification, passengers coming from higher risk among these 38 countries will have to go through a 14-day mandatory institutional quarantine at government-designated hotels at their own expense. Also read: Domestic flights resume Wednesday On the other hand, passengers coming from comparatively low-risk countries will have to go through a 14-day home quarantine.  But, an exception has been made for passengers arriving from Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait -- they will go through a three-day institutional quarantine, despite being on the list of higher-risk countries.  Also read: Biman to run special flights to 5 countries from Apr 17 The rest 11 days will be considered for home quarantine based on their subsequent health examination results. The circular also said that air bubble flights with India will remain suspended until further notice. All international flights were suspended from April 14 as the government imposed a strict lockdown from that day to contain the spread of Covid-19. Read CAAB issues circular on quarantine procedure of spl flight passengers

US-Bangla Airlines, one of the country’s leading private airlines, is set to operate special international flights on four routes after maintaining health protocols from Saturday (April 17). The flights will be operated on Dhaka-Dubai, Muscat-Doha and Dhaka-Singapore routes with special precautions, said a media release on Friday. Also read: US-Bangla's fleet expands to 14 It said nine flights will be operated on Dhaka-Dubai route, while seven on Dhaka-Muscat route, four on Dhaka-Doha and one on Dhaka-Singapore route every week. All the international travellers must have Coronavirus negative certificates which should be collected at least 72 hours before flying as directed by the government. Besides, all the returnees from foreign countries will have to stay in institutionalised quarantine for 14 days and bear the expenses personally after landing at Dhaka airport. Read US-Bangla adds two new ATR 72-600s to its fleet The airlines said other details are available at the sales office of US-Bangla Airlines or travel agencies. Interested travellers can also call over 01777777800-806 or 13605. On April 11, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said it will suspend all the international flights as the government was going to impose a strict lockdown from April 14 to contain the spread of Covid-19. Also read: US-Bangla awarded for good service However, there will be no restriction on the movement of chartered flights, cargo flights and special flights carrying high commissioners of different countries and foreign nationals. The flight operations on domestic routes have remained suspended since the enforcement of lockdown in the country from April 5. Read Bangladesh bans entry of passengers from Europe & 12 countries for two weeks Also, on April 1, the civil aviation regulator suspended the entry of passengers from all European countries, except the UK, and 12 other countries to Bangladesh from April 3. As the spread of Covid-19 has sparked alarm across the country, the government enforced the nationwide lockdown from April 14 in its bid to stop the spread of the deadly virus. Read CAAB to suspend international flights from Apr 14

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) onSunday said they will suspend all international flights as the government is going to impose a strict lockdown from April 14 to contain the spread of Covid-19. "Decision on international flights has been taken during an inter-ministerial meeting in the evening," said CAAB Chairman of Air Vice Marshal M Mofidur Rahman. "We made the move following the government's lockdown directives," he said. However, there will be no restriction on the movement of chartered flights, cargo flights and special flights carrying high commissioners of different countries and foreign nationals. Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh records highest single-day deaths The flight operations on domestic routes have remained suspended since the enforcement of the seven-day lockdown in the country from April 5. Also, on April 1, the civil aviation regulator suspended the entry of passengers from all European countries, except the UK, and 12 other countries to Bangladesh from April 3. As the spread of Covid-19 has sparked alarm across the country, the government is set to issue a notification on Sunday over enforcing a fresh nationwide lockdown from April 14 in its desperate bid to stop the spread of the deadly virus. Also read: Worsening Covid crisis: Bangladesh resorting to full lockdown Bangladesh, a densely populated country, is facing the wraths of the Covid-19 pandemic as people continue to defy health protocols despite warnings both from the government and experts. On Saturday, the country registered 77 more deaths in 24 hours until Saturday morning, shattering all of its previous records. The number of Covid-19 cases dropped slightly to 5,343, said the Directorate General of Health Services.

The authorities of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) on Sunday said they are planning to suspend all international flights as the government is going to impose a strict lockdown from April 14 to contain the spread of Covid-19.  Read CAAB to suspend international flights from Apr 14 “However, no final decision has been taken yet. Decision on international flights will be taken after a meeting in the afternoon,” said Air-Vice Marshal M Mofidur Rahman, chairman of CAAB.   “The operation of flights will depend on the directives of the government and if the lockdown starts from Wednesday then CAAB will take decision on international flights as per the government’s lockdown directives,” he said.  Besides, no restriction will be imposed on the movement of chartered flights, cargo flights and special flights carrying high commissioners of different countries and foreign nationals. Also read: Govt to enforce 7-day lockdown from Monday: Quader The flight operations on domestic routes remained suspended since the enforcement of the seven-day lockdown in the country from April 5. Besides, on April1 , the civil aviation regulator suspended the entry of passengers from all European  countries , except the UK, and 12 other countries to Bangladesh from April 3. As the spread of Coronavirus has sparked alarm across the country, the government is set to issue a notification on Sunday over enforcing a fresh nationwide lockdown from April 14 in its desperate bid to stop the spread of the deadly virus. Also read: No domestic flight operations during lockdown: CAAB   Bangladesh, a densely populated country, is facing the wraths of the Covid-19 pandemic as people continued to defy health protocols despite warnings both from the government and experts.  On Saturday, the country registered 77 more deaths in 24 hours until Saturday morning, shattering all of its previous records.  The number of new coronavirus cases dropped slightly to 5,343 said a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).  Read UAE limits flights to Iran from Dubai over virus outbreak

Bangladesh and India want to launch a travel air bubble without any delay by discussing the issue in details in New Delhi while a virtual meeting of the next Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) is under discussion, officials said.