Covid-19 test done at pvt clinics: 32 Saudi-bound passengers left behind

Thirty-two Bangladeshi expatriate workers were not allowed by the immigration authority to go to Saudi Arabia as they got tested for Covid-19 at private hospitals instead of the government approved test centre at Dhaka's Mohakhali.

The Saudi bound flight SV-3807 left the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 6:30pm, leaving the passengers behind, Dr Plaban, an assistant airport health officer, told The Daily Star.

"Thirty-two passengers couldn't be issued boarding passes as they did not have Covid-19 test report from the government approved test centre established at the Dhaka North City Corporation market in Mohakhali," he also said.

Sources at the airport said the 32 passengers had Covid-19 tests from different private clinics including Enam Medical Hospital at Savar.

All the Saudi-bound passengers will have to reach the kingdom within 48 hours of submitting their sample for Covid-19 test, said a Saudi official.

Saudi Airlines is now operating two weekly flights from Dhaka. The airline has applied to the Civil Aviation Authority to increase the number of flights.

Biman is scheduled to resume its regular flight to Saudi Arabia from October 1.

The two airlines are scheduled to operate 10 special flights between September 23 to September 30 to the Gulf country considering around 50,000 stranded Bangladeshis workers are waiting to return to their workplaces since March due to Covid-19 pandemic.

The government initially designated 19 medical institutions and laboratories to carry out Covid-19 tests for overseas passengers following the scam of Regent Hospital and JKG Health Care over Covid-19 tests.

In Dhaka there were three institutions -- National Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Referral Centre, Institute of Public Health and National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine.

Later, sample collection booths were set up only at Dhaka North City Corporation Market for overseas passengers to carry out Covid-19 test