Bangladesh suspends on-arrival visas from all countries in view of coronavirus threat

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International News

Mar 15, 2020

11:59AM

Bangladesh suspends on-arrival visas from all countries in view of coronavirus threat

AIR PIC

Bangladesh has announced a ban on on-arrival visas from all countries in view of the Coronavirus threat. Travellers from all European countries except the UK and other countries which have imposed a ban on travel from Bangladesh have also been banned from arrival in the country till March 31.

Foreign Minister Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen told media on Saturday evening that the decision has been taken to protect the citizens of Bangladesh as WHO has declared Europe as the epicentre of the Coronavirus. He said that the ban will be imposed both on foreigners and the Bangladeshi nationals. However, cargo flights will continue to arrive.

Passenger train services to and from Bangladesh to India have already been suspended in view of restrictions imposed by India on foreign travellers. The movement of passengers from the land port has also been suspended. However, the operation of freight trains and import-export through land port will continue.

In the meanwhile, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said at a press briefing on Saturday night that two new cases of Corona virus-positive persons have been detected in Bangladesh. One of the persons had returned from Germany while the other had come back from Italy. Three persons earlier infected with Coronavirus are now free of infection.

A fresh batch of 152 Bangladeshi nationals arrived from Italy on Sunday. After initial testing, they have been taken to the Ashkona Hajj Camp near the airport. Another batch of 59 returnees arriving from Italy was sent to a quarantine centre in Dhaka.

The earlier batch of 142 persons returning from Italy on Saturday have been allowed to undergo ‘home-quarantine’ after there were protests by these persons at the Ashkona Hajj Camp in Dhaka against the quarantine at the government facility. DG of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Abul Kalam Azad told media that the returnees were allowed to go home because they showed no symptom of Coronavirus infection. He said as of now, home quarantine is the best method for curtailing the spread of Coronavirus.

23 Bangladeshi students brought back from Hubei province of China by India also returned to Dhaka from Delhi on Saturday after undergoing 2-week long quarantine in India.

In a bid to evolve a strong strategy to combat Coronavirus threat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a video conference on Sunday evening with the SAARC leaders in which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh will also participate.