United News of Bangladesh

Flight operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka were disrupted on Sunday (January 08, 2023) as heavy fog covered the capital like the past few days. Eight international flights have been diverted and operations of seven others were delayed due to dense fog, Group Captain Kamrul Islam, executive director of the airport, told UNB. Read more: Two flights from Middle East make emergency landing in Sylhet due to dense fog Flights of Salam Air, Kuwait Air, Air Arabia, Jazeera Airlines, Gulf Air, Malindo and BG-350 airlines were diverted to Kolkata airport in India while the flight of Air Asia airline to Yangon in Myanmar. Flights of seven airlines-- Oman Air, Biman Bangladesh, Qatar Airways, Emirates Airlines, Saudia Airlines, Himalaya Airlines and Fly Dubai Airlines—were delayed due to poor visibility caused by dense fog. Earlier on January 4, an international flight was diverted to Hyderabad in India and operations of seven others were delayed due to the same reason. Read more: Dense fog: 1 int'l flight diverted, 7 delayed at Dhaka Airport On January 3, two international flights carrying passengers from Qatar and Saudi Arabia headed for Dhaka airport made emergency landings at Sylhet Osmani International Airport due to dense fog.

After six days of closure due to the devastating floods, Sylhet's Osmani International Airport resumed flight operations on Thursday. Two flights -- one on the Sylhet-London route and another on the Sylhet-Manchester route -- took off in the early hours, said Hafiz Ahmed, director of Osmani International Airport. Airport authorities had suspended flight operations after flood waters inundated the runway on June 17. Meanwhile, 1.25 lakh people, who took shelter at different temporary homes, returned to their respective areas following the improvement in the flood situation, said local administration authorities. As the flood waters have started receding, people are heading towards their respective houses on Thursday. Also Read: Brahmaputra, Dharla keep swelling; More areas submerged in Kurigram, Gaibandha Kabir Ahmed, a member of No 5 ward of Paschim Islampur union in Companyganj upazila, said many thatched houses have been damaged. “All paddy stored in the houses have been destroyed. Currently, people are facing financial problems,” he said. Local administration sources said that 614 shelter homes have been opened in 13 upazilas and the city, where 2, 52,878 people have taken refuge. Currently, 1,27,653 people are living in 599 temporary shelters, while 1,25,131 left for their homes. Besides, many areas in the district are still inundated due to the rise in the water level of the Kushiara river. Additional commissioner of Sylhet division, Debjit Sing, said, "We are monitoring relief distribution to ensure the same reaches all the flood-affected people in phases."  

Flight operations at Sylhet's MAG Osmani International Airport will resume soon, said State Minister for Civil Aviation M Mahbub Ali on Monday. “If there is no more rain and the flood situation will remain static, then the flight operation at the airport will resume soon. The decision will be taken to operate flights at Sylhet airport considering the safety of the passengers and aircraft latteness,” he said. Mahbub revealed this information while talking to the reporters when visiting the airport. He also visited the approach area, runway and terminal of the airport. Also Read: Brahmaputra, Dharla keep swelling; More areas submerged in Kurigram, Gaibandha The street lights of the approach area of the airport are out of order now and that’s why the flight operation remained suspended, he said. Already a team of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh has inspected the airport area, he added. Flight Operation at Sylhet's MAG Osmani International Airport has been suspended since June 17 due to the deteriorating flood situation in the region.

Flight operations on Dhaka-London-Dhaka route resumed on Sunday after over two months of suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.   “A Biman flight carrying 187 passengers left Dhaka for London at 12:02pm,” said Tahera Khandaker, deputy general manager (PR) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.   A scheduled flight will leave Dhaka every week on Sunday  and another will come from London on each Monday, she added.   Earlier on June 18, Mokabbir Hossain, managing director and CEO, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, said Biman flights would be operated once a week on Dhaka-London-Dhaka route from Sunday. Intending travellers are advised to contact helpline number- 01777715613-16.   On June 16, flight operations on international routes from Bangladesh resumed after over two months of suspension.   A flight of Qatar Airways left Dhaka while another flight from Doha arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Tuesday, Group Captain AHM Towhidul Ahsan, Director of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport told UNB.   On June 1, Civil Aviation authority permitted operation of all domestic flights maintaining social distancing and following health guidelines.

Flight operations at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport resumed on Wednesday morning after a seven-hour suspension.

Flight operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport resumed on Monday morning after a six-hour disruption caused by thick fog.