Special Qatar Airways flight returns 430 stranded Bangladeshis

A special Qatar Airways flight on Friday brought back 430 Bangladeshi nationals stranded in Qatar after flight suspensions triggered by the recent Iran-Israel conflict disrupted air travel across the Middle East.

The special flight landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) at 7:10pm, airport's Executive Director Group Captain Ragib Samad told BSS.

He said the returning passengers included Bangladeshi travelers who were in transit as well as embassy staff members who had been unable to travel due to widespread flight cancellations.

"Since they were unable to return due to the suspension of flights, the Bangladesh government, in coordination with the Qatari authorities, arranged this special flight to bring them home safely," he added.

The move came amid continued disruptions to air travel following the closure of airspace in parts of the Middle East after the escalation of tensions between Iran and Israel.

Airport authorities said that more than 390 flights have been cancelled at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport since February 28 due to the ongoing crisis affecting regional air routes.