Some US citizens to leave Bangladesh on chartered flight tomorrow

Some US citizens will be leaving Bangladesh tomorrow on a chartered flight arranged by the US government, US embassy officials in Dhaka said today.

They have not mentioned the number of people who will be leaving.

"I can tell you the flight will be full. The passengers will include some diplomats. They are going because they want to be with their loved ones," an official said in a video conference with some journalists today.

The US State department last week issued a travel advisory discouraging international travel. It added that US citizens who are currently abroad can return home.

In response, some 10,000 US citizens have already returned to the US from 28 countries, the US embassy official in Dhaka said.

The chartered flight will fly to Doha first and then go to Dulles International Airport, Washington, DC. Passengers will remain on the airplane at Doha.

All passengers must agree to reimburse the US Government for the flight by signing a promissory note for approximately the amount of a full-fare economy flight, or comparable alternate transportation, to the designated destination that would have been charged immediately prior to this crisis.

Asked if the US citizens feel safe in the US and not in Bangladesh now amid Covid-19 pandemic, a US diplomat said as per the regulations in Bangladesh, anyone having fever or symptoms of Covid-19 will be quarantined in Bangladesh.

"Those leaving for the US want to be with their families. Many are staying right here," the diplomat said.

The US embassy will remain open and the officials will be have a tele-work arrangement.

Asked how US and Bangladesh can cooperate in the fight against Covid-19, the embassy said they are providing $2.5 million, while Centre for Disease Control and Prevention is providing technical expertise to Bangladesh health department.