Keep int’l flights operational for the sake of migrant workers: BAIRA, ATAB demand

Saying that around 20,000 to 25,000 expatriate workers will face uncertainty over reaching their workplaces abroad, Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies, Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh demand today demanded to keep international flight operations out of purview of weeklong lockdown.

The associations made the demand during separate press conferences at the capital's Dhaka Reporters Unity.

Both the organisations said that the weeklong ban on international flights to and from Bangladesh will result in expiry of many workers' visas.

Leaders of Baira and Atab also said respective employers will also cancel visa permit of many Bangladeshi workers if they fail to reach their workplaces abroad due to suspension of international flights.

Following the government guidance and instruction, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh on April 11 announced to suspend operation of all international passenger flights to and from Bangladesh from April 14 to April 20 in a bid to contain Covid-19 infection.

However, medevac, humanitarian, relief, cargo, technical landing (for refueling only) and the flights cleared under special consideration will remain out of purview of this suspension, CAAB said.

Baira and Atab leaders demanded that the manpower sector be kept out of purview of lockdown by declaring the sector as an emergency service sector.

On behalf of Baira, its former finance secretary Fakhrul Islam read out a written statement at the press conference while Monsur Ahmed Kalam, president of Atab read out their demands.

Baira said about 20,000 to 25,000 migrant workers have already bought air tickets at high prices and are waiting to go their workplaces within the next week.

In addition, thousands of expatriate workers are waiting for tickets. According to Baira if all international flights are canceled for a week, migrant workers along with recruiting agencies will suffer a serious loss, and the country will be affected as well.

They said thousands of Qatar and Oman-bound workers have booked hotels for quarantine with huge amount of money which are non-refundable and if the workers cannot reach their respective destinations on time, they will have to suffer a huge loss of money.

The Atab president said thousands of expatriate visas had expired due to a two month long ban on international flight during the lockdown last year.

"Since there are no restrictions in the recipient countries, international flights should be operated from Bangladesh following proper health guidelines," M Shahadat Hossain Taslim, a member of Atab, said.

According to Baira, Nepal, India, Pakistan, the Philippines and other manpower export countries are sending their workers to different countries even during the lockdown.

"If the sending of workers from Bangladesh is stopped, Bangladesh will lag behind the competition in the international labor market," said Taslim.