Airlines fly between Bangladesh and China advised to check health clearance of passengers

Bangladesh has advised all the airlines that fly between Bangladesh and China to make health clearance mandatory from the government health administration of China while carrying  passengers from China with valid visa.

Bangladesh Embassy in Beijing has issued necessary directives in consultation with the headquarters, an official told UNB.

Meanwhile, on arrival-visas for Chinese citizens to enter Bangladesh will remain suspended until further notice.

The Chinese citizens who are working in Bangladesh have been advised not to travel to China until the situation improves, said the official quoting the government directives.

At the same time, Chinese companies in Bangladesh will avoid hiring fresh employees from China until the situation improves.

In the case of travelling from the mainland China, the Chinese citizens need to submit health certificates prior to travel to Bangladesh, according to the Bangladesh Embassy in Beijing.

The directives came amid the growing number of coronavirus cases in China that claimed over 300 deaths so far.

There are more than 17,000 confirmed cases in China, with 361 deaths, and more than 150 in other countries, with one death in the Philippines.

The number of deaths in China now exceeds the 349 killed on the mainland in the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak of 2002-03.

On Saturday, the government brought back 312 Bangladeshis from Wuhan city of China, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, by a special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

Most of them remained quarantined at Ashkona Hajj Camp.