Stranded Bangladeshis return home from Australia

A total of 157 Bangladeshi citizens, who were stranded in Australia due to the ban on international flights amid the coronavirus outbreak, returned home from Melbourne on early Saturday, FT reports.

The special Sri Lankan Airlines flight landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 1:00am on Saturday, after a stopover at Colombo.

The High Commission for Bangladesh in Canberra facilitated the return with support from authorities of Bangladesh and Australia and with active cooperation from the Victorian Bangladeshi Community Foundation (VBCF) and Melton Travel Center, which were assigned to coordinate with intending passengers and manage funds and ticketing tasks, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Initially at its “needs assessment” template on its website, the High Commission received requests of 340 Bangladesh-origin persons in Australia who expressed willingness to return to Bangladesh.

Based on this estimate of 300-plus stranded Bangladeshis seeking to return, the High Commission secured in principle approval of Bangladesh authorities to accept special non-scheduled flights from Australia and tried to charter a flight from Sydney to Dhaka.

Drastic reduction in demand from the stranded Bangladeshis compelled the High Commission to charter Sri Lankan Airlines to operate this flight from Melbourne.

All passengers were notified to carry up-to-date COVID symptom-free or COVID negative certificates issued within three days before departure.

Bangladesh High Commission thanked Victorian Bangladeshi Community Foundation (VBCF), Melton Travel Center, Bangladesh Consulate General in Sydney as well as Sri Lankan Airlines for operationalising this non-scheduled flight.