UK to charter flight for British nationals in Bangladesh

The British government has said it is in the final stages of arranging special return flights, from Bangladesh, for short-term British visitors.

The British High Commission in Bangladesh, on Sunday, launched an online registration process to know which British visitors would like to be on the charter flights.

Due to flight restrictions announced by the Bangladesh government in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, there are currently no commercial flights available to travel to the UK from Bangladesh.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has extended the suspension of its domestic and international flights, including from the UK, until April 30.

"China Southern and US-Bangla airlines are still operating flights to China but these are for Chinese nationals only," the British High Commission in Bangladesh said.

However, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson has said they are well on track with their plans, to charter flights, to help British nationals in Bangladesh return home.

"We are very conscious that there are many visitors to Bangladesh in other parts of the country and we'll be making sure with the Government of Bangladesh that you have the paperwork you need to come to Dhaka in time for your flight."

These flights will not be free and they will leave from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, said Robert Chatterton Dickson.

On Friday a total of 123 citizens of European Union countries, who were stranded in Bangladesh due to the Covid-19 outbreak, left Dhaka for Frankfurt by a special chartered flight.

Earlier, nationals of the US, Japan, Malaysia, and Bhutan also left Dhaka on chartered flights amid the outbreak.

Another special chartered flight of Qatar Airways – the third one to be arranged so far by the United States – is scheduled to depart the Dhaka airport on Monday.