The Bangladesh High Commission in London has not issued any health certificate for the passengers travelling back to Dhaka, the mission says, describing some media reports as ‘incorrect’.
The mission only attested the ‘personal health declaration form’ of the travelers during the pandemic, it said in a statement following reports that Qatar airways did not accept health certificates issued from the High Commission.
“The London high commission has been attesting to health-related declaration of Bangladesh bound Bangladesh citizens and British-Bangladesh dual citizens with NVR (no visa required) since March last as per the directives of concerned authority of Bangladesh”.
“The passengers had traveled to Bangladesh with these ‘attested health declaration forms’ on boarding different airlines including Biman, Qatar Airways and Emirates Airways in last March and June-July while the forms were widely accepted by both the airlines and immigration authority at Dhaka airport.
“The Bangladesh London Mission sees a necessity to explain the issue as some media reports have come into its observation that Qatar Airways did not issue boarding passes to some Bangladeshi bound passengers at Heathrow airport on Thursday denying the acceptance of their personal ‘health declaration form’ attested by the high commission.”
According to the statement, the High Commission has already inquired into the matter with the local Qatar Airways office in London and also been collecting information from other airlines whether they adopted any new health guidelines regarding the COVID-19.
The High Commission will publish the information at their website and facebook page upon receiving relevant information regarding the issue.
The mission also requested all to check respective airlines travel advisories before purchasing tickets amid the pandemic.
The Bangladesh high commission also requested all not to be misled regarding the issue.
According to a circular, issued by Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) on June 11 last, foreign national coming to Bangladesh with valid visas will require to produce a medical certificate (with English translation) to be obtained within 72 hours of travel, indicating that he/she is ‘COVID-19 Negative’.
If any Bangladesh origin passenger possesses an NVR and comes to Bangladesh without the required ‘COVID-19 Negative’ certificate, he/she would be institutionally quarantined for 14 (Fourteen) days, it said.
