Thousands of passengers have been stranded at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and Chattogram’s Shah Amanat International Airport after several Middle Eastern countries temporarily closed their airspace amid US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks.
However, no significant disruption has been reported at Sylhet’s Osmani International Airport.
Dhaka airport authorities said 74 flights operated by various airlines were cancelled between Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
In Chattogram, a further 16 international flights were cancelled, officials said.
Countries that announced temporary airspace closures following the outbreak of hostilities on Saturday include Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan.
The sudden announcement of flight cancellations triggered scenes of disorder and anxiety at airports, as many passengers had already completed check-in and were waiting to board.
Some were travelling to join jobs overseas, while others were heading to the Middle East for medical treatment or urgent family matters.
In a message issued on Sunday afternoon, Biman Bangladesh Airlines General Manager (Public Relations) Bosra Islam urged passengers to arrive at the airport at least four hours before their scheduled departure.
She said all flights to Middle Eastern destinations, except those bound for Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, were expected to depart on schedule.
The government has pledged support for Bangladeshi expatriates and passengers stranded by the cancellations.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to enquire about the situation and spoke with Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury.
A toll-free hotline has been launched to assist affected travellers. Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad also visited the airport to offer support to Umrah pilgrims.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines and the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh said affected services are expected to be rescheduled.
Airport sources said a total of 23 flights were cancelled at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by Saturday night.
The cancellations included one Emirates service, one Gulf Air flight, one Flydubai flight, three Air Arabia services, six US-Bangla Airlines flights and 11 Biman Bangladesh Airlines services.
On Sunday alone, a further 40 flights were cancelled throughout the day. In addition, 11 flights scheduled for Monday have also been cancelled, airport sources said.
Passengers who arrived at the airport after Sunday afternoon faced severe difficulties. Those who had already completed boarding formalities and immigration procedures were accommodated in hotels by their respective airlines. Thousands of others were seen waiting under the airport canopy.
Passengers arriving at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport described confusion and a lack of clear information as flights to the Middle East were suspended.
Jewel Mia, from Senbag in Noakhali, was due to fly to Qatar on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines service at 5pm on Sunday. After hearing in the morning that the flight had been postponed because of airspace closures, he went to the airport but said he had been unable to obtain a definite update about his departure.
Another passenger, Zubayer from Lakshmipur, had been scheduled to travel to Qatar on a Biman flight on Saturday night. He said airline officials advised passengers to wait 24 hours after the service was suspended.
He spent the night at a private hotel in Uttara but, after returning to the airport, said he still could not get specific information about when the flight would operate.
Jewel Rana, from Jashore, was travelling abroad for the first time in search of work. “I came to the airport with high hopes, only to find the flight cancelled,” he said. “I do not know when it will resume or whether I will be able to go abroad at all. I have no relatives in Dhaka where I can stay and wait.”
Disorder and anxiety at airports
Following the cancellations, uncertainty grew over ticket changes and refunds, with long queues forming in front of airline counters. Passengers who had travelled from distant districts waited for hours with their families.
Many expressed concern about visa expiry dates, deadlines for joining workplaces and the risk of missing connecting flights.
Airport authorities used public announcements to urge passengers to return home and set up an information assistance desk at the main gate. Airlines were instructed to provide prompt updates on revised flight schedules.
State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat said on Sunday that suspended flights on Middle Eastern routes would be rescheduled and passengers given adequate notice.
After visiting the airport in Dhaka, State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare Nurul Haque Nur said all services had been made available for passengers whose flights were cancelled.
He said regular updates were being provided and overnight accommodation had been arranged where necessary.
Umrah pilgrims affected
The cancellation of international flights has left many Umrah pilgrims stranded at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad visited the airport and spoke to affected passengers, listening to their concerns and assuring them that the government was closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East.
He urged travellers to remain patient and said the government stood beside them during the disruption.
Flight cancellations in Ctg
At least 16 outbound and inbound international flights to and from Middle Eastern destinations have been cancelled at Chattogram’s Shah Amanat International Airport, airport officials said.
Authorities were unable to confirm the total number of passengers affected by the cancellations.
Officials said it was not yet possible to say when operations would fully stabilise, as that would depend on airports in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain resuming normal services.
However, Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG135 departed Chattogram for Jeddah at 4:35pm on Sunday carrying 419 passengers, airport sources said.
Shah Amanat Airport Public Relations Officer Engineer Mohammad Ibrahim Khalil said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East had created an exceptional situation.
He said the decision to cancel flights had been taken in the interest of public safety and that measures were in place to minimise confusion among passengers.
Sylhet airport operating normally
Operations at Sylhet’s Osmani International Airport remain largely unaffected despite the suspension of several Middle East-bound flights, officials say.
Airport Director Md Hafiz Ahmed said on Sunday afternoon that there was no unusual pressure from passengers travelling to the Middle East following the cancellations. A scheduled flight from Doha did not arrive, but all other international and domestic services were operating as normal.
He said passengers on Middle East routes had been informed of the situation and that all flights on those routes would remain suspended until further instructions from Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
Once new directives are issued, passengers will be notified promptly about the resumption of services, he added.
