Saudi-bound workers return home after flights shut down
Saudi returnees said they left Bangladesh for Saudi Arabia on an Etihad Airways flight on 20 December
More than one hundred Saudi-bound workers returned home from Abu Dhabi on Tuesday after the flights were suddenly shut down.
Shariful Hasan, head of Brac's immigration programme, confirmed the matter to The Business Standard.
"The sudden shut down of flights would again hamper the resumption of workers going abroad after Covid-19," he said.
Saudi returnees said they left Bangladesh for Saudi Arabia on an Etihad Airways flight on 20 December.
But as per the announcement of the Saudi government, the flight was cancelled and the workers were sent back to the country on the same plane from Abu Dhabi airport.
Many of the returnees were seen crying helplessly at the airport as they returned to the country in just one day.
Sabina Akhter and Taslima Akhter, two sisters from Cumilla, said three women from Manikganj along with them were going to Saudi Arabia.
"We do not know what to do after returning home," they said hopelessly.
Later, they were arranged to stay in Brac's Safe Home.