More than 130 Bangladeshi students who were stranded in the United Kingdom since the suspension of international flights for coronavirus pandemic are returning back in a chartered flight.
A Bangladesh government special chartered flight BG 4041 departed London for Dhaka Sunday at 6:20pm UK time.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem saw the students off at London Heathrow Airport terminal 2.
The flight is scheduled to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 09:30am Bangladesh time today, the High Commission said.
The government arranged the flight being operated by the national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines and chartered by Bangladesh Air Force Welfare Trust (BAFWT) at the request of Bangladesh High Commission London.
“We are grateful to Bangladesh government, specially to Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina; and for the initiative of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bangladesh Air Force in particular for chartering this flight,” the High Commissioner said.
“Even though we had initially booking of more than 200 students, many had cancelled their booking at the very last moment in the fear of institutional quarantine in Bangladesh on their arrival.
“However, the health certificate issued by Bangladesh High Commission London based on health assessment of the passengers, I would like to assure all students that they will be directed to home quarantine only,” she said.
“Similarly, the High Commission has organised for all passengers travelling from Dhaka to London that they would be guided to home quarantine.”
“From the High Commission, we are humbly gratified that we could reunite so many students stranded in the UK with their families in Bangladesh before the Eid-ul-Fitr festival,” she said.
