Salah Uddin, who runs a construction business in the United Kingdom, rushed to Sylhet Osmani International Airport on 30 January so he could fly back and be there in time for his daughter’s school exams. Despite having a valid visa, confirmed ticket, and all necessary documents, he was denied a boarding pass and had to return to his Moulvibazar residence.
He came back to Bangladesh on 20 December, leaving his wife and children in the UK, and was scheduled to return there on 30 January. His daughter’s school exams are scheduled for next week.
Salah is not alone. Over the past week, at least 40 passengers with permanent residency in the UK were turned away from check-in counters at the Sylhet airport. Similar incidents have occurred at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. At check-in, computer screens displayed the message “Check-in restricted, contact UK Border Force,” leaving UK-bound travellers stranded.
This has caused significant financial losses and uncertainty, especially for expatriates who left their families abroad. Airport authorities say the issue does not originate in Bangladesh but lies with UK border authorities. Biman Bangladesh Airlines is working to resolve it.
Discussions with airport officials and affected passengers revealed that for the past week, Biman passengers at Sylhet have faced the “check-in restricted” message. Authorities then refused boarding, even though passengers insisted their visas and immigration status are valid, with many holding UK e-visas.
The problem stems largely from the UK’s transition to a fully digital immigration system. The government is phasing out physical visa documents, such as BRP cards, in favour of e-visas. Many migrants have switched to e-visas but failed to update new passport details in their UKVI accounts. As a result, when airlines verify passport data against the Home Office database, errors or “no valid visa” messages appear.
Airlines also use the Interactive Advance Passenger Information system, which sometimes delays or misreports passenger status due to server issues.
Salah said, “I visit Bangladesh three to four times a year, but I’ve never faced such suffering. Now I’m in one country, while my wife and children are in another. When will this uncertainty end?”
He added that UK immigration support confirmed his documents were valid and advised contacting the airline’s carrier support hub if problems persisted.
Another passenger, Shafiqur Rahman, said he and his wife were travelling on the same type of visa. While his wife was issued a boarding pass, his was withheld without explanation. As his ticket was non-refundable, he had to send his wife alone to the UK, losing the entire fare.
Sylhet Osmani International Airport Director Md Hafiz Ahmed said, “This is not a problem of Sylhet airport or Biman Bangladesh Airlines. It is an issue of the UK Border Force.”
The matter will be resolved jointly by UK authorities and Biman, and work has already begun, he added.
He also said, “I wouldn’t call it a restriction. It may be a matter of the Border Force’s procedures or a system upgrade. For now, passengers are advised to contact the British Home Office.”
