195 Bangladeshis stranded in Canada returning via chartered flight

 A total of 195 Bangladeshi nationals stranded in Canada following the Covid-19 pandemic departed for Dhaka from Toronto on Wednesday night (Canada time) by a chartered flight.

The special flight of Qatar Airways is scheduled to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka on Friday morning (Bangladesh time), said a press release of Bangladesh High Commission in Canada.

The chartered flight will take a one-hour technical stopover in Doha, added the release.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to Canada M Mizanur Rahman and Bangladesh Consul General in Toronto Nayem Uddin Ahmed saw off the passengers at Toronto Pearson International Airport, the release added.

The passengers mostly include Bangladeshis studying in different colleges and universities in Canada, Bangladesh citizens who went to Canada on tourist and business visas and some expatriate Bangladeshis.

Bangladesh foreign ministry in coordination with Bangladesh High Commission in Canada arranged the special flight following request of Bangladeshi citizens who have been stranded in Canada due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bangladesh extended a ban on regular passenger flights with all countries except China till May 30.

The government so far repatriated stranded Bangladeshis from Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, India, USA, Australia, UK, and South Korea.