165 expats arrive in Sylhet from UK amid panic over new Covid strain

A flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, carrying a total of 202 passengers from the United Kingdom, arrived at Sylhet Osmani International Airport on Thursday morning amid panic over a new variant of Covid-19 in the UK. 

"The BG202 flight from the United Kingdom's Heathrow airport left for Dhaka Shahjalal International Airport after dropping off 165 passengers at the Sylhet airport at 9.10am," said Md Hafiz Ahmed, manager at Sylhet Osmani International Airport. 

The expats have returned here at a time when many countries including neighbouring India banned flights with the UK. However, Bangladesh government is yet to take such a restrictive step. 

Meanwhile, a tensed situation is prevailing in Sylhet city following the arrival of the returnees. However, all the passengers were able to show their Covid-19 negative certificates, said health officials.

Although there were uncertainties surrounding six passengers who could not produce their Covid-19 negative reports as their cell phone batteries were dead, though they were later able
to do so.

A medical team was formed to examine the expat returnees under the guidance of Sylhet Sadar Upazila Health Complex Official Dr Sirajum Munir. 

Sirajum said they had checked the UK returnees for Covid related issues, adding that all the passengers have brought coronavirus negative certificates with them from the UK.

The issue with six passengers, whose phone batteries were dead, later was resolved after they managed to show their Covid-19 negative certificates. 

Besides, all the passengers have been directed to stay in home quarantine for 14 days and the local administration will monitor their quarantine, Sirajum added.

Sylhet Osmani International Airport Manager Hafiz said, "Nobody is allowed to board on a flight without a Covid negative certificate and the medical team also checks their Covid reports. Therefore there is no scope of returning to the country without a Covid-negative certificate.