Govt to bring back stranded Bangladeshis from UK May 10

The government has decided to arrange a special chartered flight to take home Bangladeshi citizens who have been stranded in the United Kingdom (UK) since the suspension of international flights between Dhaka and London in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines will be chartered and operated by Bangladesh Air Force Welfare Trust (BAFWT) and is scheduled to arrive in London Heathrow Airport on May 10 and depart the same day, according to Bangladesh High Commission in London.

Earlier, the Bangladesh High Commission in London requested to arrange a special flight.

Since suspension of international commercial flights between Bangladesh and the UK in end-March, Bangladesh High Commission London undertook several initiatives and efforts to reach out to Bangladeshi citizens and students stranded in the UK, with an advisory to register with the High Commission for their repatriation facilitation.

In view of large number of Bangladeshi students having registered with the "Bangladesh High Commission, London COVID-19 Emergency Repatriation Committee", the High Commission in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangladesh and Bangladesh Air Force (BAF), has arranged this special chartered repatriation flight for all stranded Bangladesh citizens in the UK.

Earlier, at the request of Bangladesh High Commissioner Saida Muna Tasneem to the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the British High Commission in Dhaka, the British government agreed to repatriate 100 Bangladeshi students stranded in the UK by a British government chartered flight dedicated to bringing back British nationals from Bangladesh.

However, given the overwhelming numbers of stranded Bangladeshis wishing to return to Bangladesh, the Bangladesh government decided to arrange a special flight chartered by the Bangladesh Air Force.

The High Commission of Bangladesh has conveyed its deep appreciation to the British government, in particular, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and FCO Minister for South Asia Lord Tariq Ahmad as well as British High Commission in Dhaka for extending their hands of friendship and goodwill in willing to accommodate Bangladeshi students in their dedicated repatriation flight.

The High Commission called upon all Bangladeshi citizens stranded in the UK and willing to return to Bangladesh to urgently register with the High Commission at the following link https://forms.gle/4x4JKfy9jxGDaujL7.

Since seats at the chartered flight are limited, passengers will be registered on a first-come-first-serve basis and subject to availability.

Following the registration, the High Commission Committee will get in touch individually with all registered passengers to notify them further details about the flight.

Passengers currently stranded in Bangladesh and willing to return to the UK availing the chartered flight should urgently register with the Bangladesh Air Force Welfare Trust at the following link https://www.baf.mil.bd/bafwt/tickets.php.

Bangladesh High Commission London would be working in close coordination with Bangladesh Air Force, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK Home Office, UK Border Agency and London Heathrow Airport Authorities to facilitate the smooth repatriation of Bangladeshis stranded in the UK and incoming passengers returning from Bangladesh.

For any query on the repatriation flight, the High Commission urged all concerned to contact the High Commission's following telephone numbers: +44-07769441030, +44-07404687745 and emails - mahfuza.sultana@mofa.gov.bd and monirul.hoque@mofa.gov.bd.