Flight operation between Dhaka and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has started on test basis following all conditions amid the pandemic.
Overcoming the complexity of the conditions, the test flight carrying 46 passengers left for the UAE after the coronavirus test of the passengers at a mobile lab set up at the airport on Wednesday.
The Emirates Airlines flight was scheduled to carry 50 passengers but 4 of them could not report on time.
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Director Group Captain AHM Touhid Ul Ahsan confirmed the resumption of the UAE flight.
He said, “The flight left for the UAE at 7.30 pm after the passengers’ corona test six hours before the departure.”
“They were tested for coronavirus in a mobile lab set up in the airport area. The passengers who were tested negative were given boarding pass,” he added.
According to the UAE conditions, passengers have to get done the corona virus test at the airport six hours before departure and must have the corona negative certificate with them before boarding the plane.
As there was no such test facilities at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport before, it was not possible to operate any flight to Dubai so long.
However, various sources claim that almost five million expatriates are trapped for this reason.
Earlier UAE’s civil aviation authority had suggested sending 50 passengers to the country following the UAE government’s restrictions. If the test situation is satisfactory, they will ensure regular passenger fight operations.
Earlier on September 15, the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare had approved seven companies to set up RT-PCR labs for Covid-19 test at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The Department of Health had proposed the names of seven organizations -- Stemz Healthcare (BD) Limited Dhaka, CSBF Health Center, AMZ Hospital Limited, Anwar Khan Modern Medical College Hospital, Zainul Haque Sikder Women's Medical College and Hospital, Gulshan Clinic Limited and DMFR Molecular lab and Diagnostics -- to install RT-PCR lab at the airport.
