Airlines carrying passengers without Covid-19 negative certificates will have to face flight suspension penalty from now on.
Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) came up with the directives as multiple airlines recently carried passengers to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport without Covid-19 negative certificates.
In some cases, some airlines also carried passengers despite having Covid-19 positive certificates.
Group Captain Chowdhury Zia-ul-Kabir, member (Flight Standards and Regulations) of CAAB, said with great concern, CAAB observed several airlines carrying passengers without having Covid-19 negative certificates in RT-PCR lab.
"Even some airlines are carrying Covid infected passengers."
Such activities are putting a negative impact on the initiatives taken by the government to contain Covid-19 pandemic.
A circular issued by CAAB read the penalty would start from suspension of one flight to four weeks of suspension depending on how many times an airline makes the same mistake.
On December 4, CAAB issued a circular mentioning anyone enters the country from December 5 would have to carry a Covid-19 negative certificate within 72 hours of their flight schedules.
The regulatory authority also asked all airlines operating to and from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport not to issue boarding passes to the passengers if they don't have Covid-19 negative certificates.
Recently, the rate of incoming passengers without having Covid-19 certificate has been on the rise.
In November alone, more than 4,000 passengers arrived without a Covid negative certificate.
Therefore, the government this time made it mandatory to have Covid-19 certificate for incoming passengers.
Sources at the HSIA said around 1,400 passengers came to Dhaka by different airlines without having Covid-19 negative certificate.
Besides, the airlines also carried five passengers despite having infected with Covid-19, said the sources.
Four foreigners -- three Indians and one Italian citizen -- were sent back to their countries as they didn't have Covid-19 negative certificate with them.
Mobile Court at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on December 13 fined Air Asia, a Malaysia based budget airlines, Tk 1 lakh for carrying an identified Covid-19 positive passenger who had Covid-19 positive certificate with him.
The mobile court at HSIA on Saturday also fined Biman Bangladesh Airlines Tk 30,000 for carrying six passengers without having Covid-19 negative certificate through RT-PCR test.
Earlier on December 11, Maldivian Airlines was fined Tk 238,000 for carrying passengers to Bangladesh without Covid-19 negative certificate.
From now on any airlines carrying passengers without having Covid-19 negative certificate will have to face flight suspension penalty for different terms.
Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh came up with the strict directives following a number of airlines bringing passengers to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport without having Covid-19 negative certificate in the recent weeks.
In some cases, several airlines also carried passengers despite having the certificate that they are positive for Covid-19.
Group Captain Chowdhury Zia-ul-Kabir, member (Flight Standards and Regulations), CAAB said with great concern CAAB is observing that several airlines were carrying passengers without having Covid-19 negative certificates in RT-PCR lab.
Even some airlines are carrying Corona affected passengers. Such activities are putting a negative impact on the initiatives taken by the government to contain Covid-19 pandemic.
An airlines will face suspension for one schedule flight for the first time's mistake for carrying passengers without a Covid-19 negative certificate or carrying Covid-19 affected passenger.
For same mistake for the second time, three schedule flights of the airlines will be suspended and for the third time's mistake, flights will be suspended for one week. The airline's flight will also be suspended for at least four weeks in case of mistake for fourth times.
Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh in a circular on December 4 announced that anyone wants to come to Bangladesh from December 5 must need Covid-19 negative certificate within 72 hours of their flight schedule.
CAAB came up with the strict measure to contain the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic.
The regulatory authority also asked all airlines operating to and from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport asked not to issue boarding pass to the passengers if they don't have Covid-19 negative certificate.
Recently the rate of incoming passengers without having Covid-19 certificate has been increased.
In November alone, more than 4,000 passengers arrived without a corona negative certificate.
Therefore, the government this time made it mandatory to have Covid-19 certificate for incoming passengers.
Sources at the HSIA said around 1400 passengers came to Dhaka by different airlines without having Covid-19 negative certificate.
Besides, the airlines also carried five passengers despite having infected with Covid-19, said the source.
4 foreigners—three Indians and one Italian citizens were sent back to their countries as they didn't have Covid-19 negative certificate with them.
Mobile Court at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on December 13 fined Air Asia, a Malaysia based budget airlines Tk 1 lakh for carrying an identified Covid-19 positive passenger who had Covid-19 positive certificate with him.
The mobile court at the HSIA on Saturday also fined Biman Bangladesh Airlines Tk 30,000 for carrying six passengers without having Covid-19 negative certificate through RT- PCR test.
Earlier on December 11, Maldivian Airlines was fined Tk 2,38,000 for carrying passengers to Bangladesh without Covid-19 negative certificate.
© Daily Star
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