Airlines cancelled 39 Middle East-bound flights from Dhaka today, Monday, following United States–Israeli strikes on Iran.
These flights were scheduled to travel to the United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. However, flight operations to other destinations, including Oman and Saudi Arabia, remain normal.
Sources at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka stated that airlines cancelled 23 domestic and international flights on Saturday.
They cancelled 40 flights on Sunday and a further 39 today, Monday. In total, airlines have cancelled 102 flights over the past three days.
The cancellations have caused significant difficulties for passengers travelling to the affected destinations.
Those with visas nearing expiry face particular uncertainty. One such passenger is Rajib Bairagi from Tungipara in Gopalganj, who was due to travel to Kuwait.
Rajib Bairagi said, “My visa expires in just three days. I do not know what I should do now.”
Authorities have not clarified when the situation will return to normal. As a result, many passengers affected by the cancellations have waited at the airport in frustration.
Rajib Bairagi told Prothom Alo that he had planned to travel to Kuwait via Dubai. He arrived in Dhaka on Friday and his flight was scheduled for Saturday.
However, the airline cancelled the flight, preventing him from travelling. He had purchased a ticket with Emirates.
He said he could not inform the airline authorities about his situation because airport officials did not allow him to enter the terminal. As a result, he has not received any official assistance.
Referring to his visa’s remaining validity of only three days, Rajib Bairagi said that he now finds himself in a state of uncertainty and helplessness.