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Published : 06 Apr 2026, 01:10 AM
Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ flights between Abu Dhabi and Chattogram and Sylhet have been thrown into disarray, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated as the ongoing war in Iran continues to ripple across the Middle East.
On Feb 28, the United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran.
Retaliatory strikes followed, with Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman targeting US bases with missiles, drones, and rockets.
The conflict, now months old, has forced hundreds of regional flights to cancel, including routes from Abu Dhabi to Dhaka and Chattogram.
On Thursday, flight BG-128 from Abu Dhabi to Chattogram-Dhaka was scheduled for 3:15pm local time but departed nearly 26 hours late, at 5:20pm the following day.
A ground service assistant at Biman’s Abu Dhabi office told bdnews24.com, “This flight was considered special given the circumstances. The Shaikh Zayed International Airport authorities did not grant landing slots for the return from Dhaka, making operation impossible.”
Biman officials in Dhaka confirmed that the Saturday 9:15pm Dhaka–Abu Dhabi flight (BG-327) and the overnight Abu Dhabi–Sylhet–Dhaka flight (BG-228) were cancelled due to security concerns and lack of Abu Dhabi approval.
The two flights had been scheduled to carry 162 passengers.
Biman’s General Manager of Public Relations Bosra Islam said, “Ongoing conflict in the Middle East has forced us to cancel multiple flights. Abu Dhabi airport can suspend operations at any time, which has disrupted our flight schedules.”
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh and Shah Amanat International Airport, over 1,000 flights from Dhaka and Chattogram to Middle Eastern and nearby countries have been cancelled so far, causing severe inconvenience.
Passengers learned of cancellations only after reaching airports.
Tamim Ahmed, due on BG-128 from Abu Dhabi on Thursday, told bdnews24.com: “This delay has caused extreme hardship for passengers.”
Another, Mohammad Shafiqul, said his Sharjah flight on Sunday was postponed to Monday. Saiful Islam, scheduled from Abu Dhabi on Saturday, expressed concern over the erratic schedule.
Some passengers allege Biman cannot secure slots even while other airlines operate.
Moeen Uddin, executive of a Dubai travel agency, said: “While other carriers continue flights, Biman has suspended operations for 10–15 days. Abu Dhabi lacks alternatives, so Chattogram-bound passengers suffer most.”
Biman’s Abu Dhabi regional manager Shahadat Hossain added, “Flights have been disrupted due to lack of security approvals. We are trying to accommodate passengers on the next available flights.
“Despite planning five weekly flights from Abu Dhabi, approvals are lacking. Dubai flights operate more regularly, and Sharjah now has three permitted flights, but we aim to restore full schedules.”
