Bangladesh govt bans entry from Europe, 12 countries 

Bangladesh government has imposed a ban on passengers from European nations, except UK, and 12 other countries to enter the country as the coronavirus situation is worsening here.  

The other countries are Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Peru, Qatar, South Africa, Turkey and Uruguay. 

"The restriction will remain effective from 3 to 18 April," Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Chairman Mofidur Rahman told The Business Standard.

"The ban has been imposed maintaining the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines regarding the countries with alarming rise of Covid-19 cases," he added.

Airlines operating scheduled flights from all those countries mentioned in the list will be allowed to carry only transit passengers to Bangladesh subject to the conditions that the passengers remain confined inside the terminal building only during their transit, said a circular issued by CAAB. 

Irrespective of the Covid-19 vaccination, all the passengers coming to Bangladesh shall mandatorily possess and show 'PCR-based Covid-19 negative certificate' during departure from origin and on arrival at the airport.

The PCR test shall be done within 72 hours of the flight departure time, the circular said. 

However, if no Covid-19 symptoms are found on-arrival health checks, passengers shall strictly have to complete a 14-day home quarantine. If any Covid-19 symptoms are detected/observed, s/he shall have to complete mandatory 14 (fourteen) days institutional quarantine at government facilities or government-approved hotels at passengers' own expenses.

Passengers coming from countries except those mentioned in list and exit from the transit Airport, Covid-19 negative certificates shall become null and void. A fresh PCR-based Covid-19 negative certificates shall be obtained with the PCR test done within 72 hours of the flight departure from that point. 

In addition, on arrival in Bangladesh, all such passengers shall have to complete mandatory 4 days institutional quarantine at government facilities or government-approved at passengers' own expenses. Samples will be collected for the Covid-19 PCR and the passengers will be released to complete the total 14 days home quarantine if the Covid-19 PCR test result is negative, the circular further added.

Bangladesh, on Wednesday, saw an alarming growth in the number of Covid-19 cases. Some 5,358 people were diagnosed with the disease in last 24 hours, which is the highest in a single day till date.

Besides, the country reported 52 more deaths, the highest daily figure since 26 August last year from the deadly virus. Earlier on 26 August, the health department reported 54 deaths from the virus.