378 Bangladeshis arrive from KSA

A total of 144 Bangladeshis -- including 13 cabin crew -- who remained stranded in Saudi Arabia (KSA) for over a month following suspension of air communication between Dhaka and Riyadh due to global outbreak of Covid-19, returned to Dhaka last night.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia yesterday deported around 234 Bangladeshis who were kept at different deportation centres in Riyadh on charges including expiry of visas and passport, Golam Mosih, Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, told The Daily Star over telephone.

A special flight of Saudi Airlines carrying the 378 Bangladeshis landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 9:15pm, airport sources said.

Apart from the deportees and cabin crew, the 131 Bangladeshis who returned had gone to Saudi Arabia to perform umrah and remained stranded there for a month, said the Bangladesh envoy.

KSA suspended air communication with Bangladesh since middle of March following the global outbreak.

Officials at the Dhaka airport said passengers who will display Covid-19 symptoms will be taken to Ashkona Hajj Camp for quarantine, and others will be advised to stay in mandatory 14-day quarantine at their houses.