164 more Bangladeshis return home from India

Another batch of 164 Bangladeshis who got stuck in India due to lockdown there returned home from Chennai on Thursday.

A special flight of US-Bangla Airlines carrying the Bangladeshi citizens arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the afternoon.

They are mostly patients who had gone in Chennai, Bengaluru and Vellore for treatment, according to Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi.

The government has also arranged another special flight on Delhi-Dhaka route on 5 May (Tuesday) to bring back some other stranded Bangladesh nationals.

This will be operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, said the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi.

Those who are not getting tickets for 2 May flight, can now plan to travel on 5 May flight, said the high commission.

The high commission is in touch with the concerned authorities both in Bangladesh and India for early repatriation of those who want to return to Bangladesh.

However, authorities have discouraged international travel considering the cross-border spread of Coronavirus.

The government earlier arranged three more special flights to bring back Bangladeshi nationals, who got stuck in Indian cities including Kolkata, New Delhi and Mumbai amid lockdown there due to coronavirus, in three batches on 1-3 May.

National flag carrier Biman Bangaladesh Airlines will operate the special flights in coordination with Bangladesh Missions in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

The Kolkata-Dhaka flight will be operated on 1 May and Delhi-Dhaka flight on 2 May while Mumbai-Dhaka flight on 3 May.

Over 1000 stranded Bangladeshis returned from Delhi and Chennai by special flights so far, said Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi.

Bangladeshis, stranded in Indian cities because of the lockdown since 25 March, returned home by air and land routes with assistance of Bangladesh missions in New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Guwahati and Agartala, said the high commission.