Rafiqul Islam, a migrant worker from Narsingdi, arrived at the airport early in the morning to travel to Saudi Arabia via Qatar Airways. His flight was scheduled to depart for Doha at 10:45 a.m. local time, with onward transit to Saudi Arabia. He reached the airport at 6:00 a.m., accompanied by two relatives who came to see him off.
However, by midday, Rafiqul learned that his flight had been cancelled.
“My flight has been cancelled,” he said while waiting in the terminal with his luggage. “The Saudi-bound Qatar Airways flight had a transit in Qatar, so it was cancelled.”
Rafiqul works for a private company in Saudi Arabia and had returned to Bangladesh in February on one month’s leave. He was due to rejoin work this week but now fears visa complications.
“My visa is valid for only seven more days. If I cannot join my workplace within that time, Saudi immigration may deny me entry,” he said.
Airport officials confirmed that Rafiqul was not alone. Hundreds of passengers scheduled to travel to various Middle Eastern destinations faced similar disruptions. Many had come from different districts across the country, with family members accompanying them to the airport, only to discover their flights had been cancelled.
According to Muhammad Kawsar Mahmood, Assistant Director and Public Relations Officer of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, at least 147 flights to and from Middle Eastern countries were cancelled as of 12:00 p.m. Tuesday.
The cancellations follow escalating tensions in the region after reported joint military actions involving the United States and Israel against Iran. In response to heightened security concerns, several countries—including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan—have closed their airspace.
Airport authorities said that from February 28 through Tuesday, a total of 147 domestic and international flights had been cancelled. The situation has led to overcrowding at the airport, with distressed passengers and their relatives facing uncertainty and significant hardship.
Officials have urged travelers to check with their respective airlines for updated flight schedules as regional security conditions continue to evolve.
Comments Here: