Don’t come home during lockdown

April 17, 2021

UNB :
The government has decided to discourage expatriate Bangladeshis from returning home during lockdown, unless facing an emergency.
Bangladesh missions abroad are being engaged to disseminate the message among expat communities in various countries.
To convey the message to expatriates, social media platforms, Bangladesh missions’ websites and support from community leaders will be used.
However, the expatriates will be able to return home in case there is any emergency need, with a condition of mandatory 14-day institutional quarantine.
Each of the returnees will have to show Covid-19 negative certificate, which is mandatory, and the Bangladesh missions abroad will prepare the list of those who need to come to Bangladesh on an emergency need.
The Armed Forces Division will take adequate preparations for institutional quarantine facilities in Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet.
These decisions came at a virtual inter-ministerial meeting held on Thursday, chaired by Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.
Ministers of health, expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment, state ministers for civil aviation and tourism, foreign affairs, and other senior officials concerned attended the meeting.
The government has decided to allow airlines, including Biman Bangladesh Airlines, to operate special flights to five countries – Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore – from Saturday in an effort to help stranded Bangladeshi expatriate workers join their workplaces.
The expatriate Bangladeshi workers who want to go to these five countries with BMET clearance issued by the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, will be given priority in going abroad.
But those who have a visit visa, but do not have BMET clearance, will not get priority.
Bangladeshis who will go to the UAE for work with a visit visa can get a BMET clearance.
During the lockdown, those who wish to travel to countries other than the five mentioned countries in case of emergency will be able to travel on special flights as transit passengers, subject to clearance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.