430 Bangladeshis stranded in Qatar return home on a special flight

DHAKA: A special Qatar Airways flight today brought back 430 Bangladeshi nationals stranded in Qatar after flight suspensions caused by the recent escalation of the Iran-Israel conflict disrupted air travel across the Middle East.

The flight landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) at 7:10 p.m., airport Executive Director Ragib Samad told Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).

The returning passengers included Bangladeshi travelers in transit as well as embassy staff members who had been unable to travel due to widespread flight cancellations.

“Since they were unable to return because of suspended flights, the Bangladesh government, in coordination with Qatari authorities, arranged this special flight to bring them home safely,” Samad said.

The repatriation comes amid ongoing disruptions to regional air travel following the closure of airspace in parts of the Middle East due to escalating tensions between Iran and Israel.

Airport authorities reported that more than 390 flights have been cancelled at HSIA since February 28 as the crisis continues to affect key regional air routes.