The US has chartered a second plane to repatriate its citizens and their families from Bangladesh amid a coronavirus pandemic.
Published : 03 Apr 2020, 09:33 PM
The Department of State and US Embassy in Dhaka have arranged the flight scheduled to leave Shahjalal International Airport on Sunday, the department said in a statement on Friday.
This flight will include a Dhaka to Doha, Qatar leg and an onward connecting flight to Dulles International Airport, Washington, DC.
Passengers will remain on the airplane in Doha.
The flight is not free and all passengers will need to reimburse the US government for the cost of the flight, the statement said.
A legal document, called a promissory note, for the full cost of the flight must be signed by each adult passenger before boarding.
“Currently, we do not know the cost of each ticket. No cash or credit card payments will be accepted at the airport,” the statement added.
It also said the exact departure time and routing of this chartered flight are subject to change.
“Unless you receive an email from the US Embassy in Bangladesh confirming your flight, please do not come to the airport in Dhaka,” it added.
As many as 269 US citizens and their nine pet dogs, who were stranded due to strict travel curbs over the coronavirus pandemic, left Dhaka by the first special flight on Mar 30.
Malaysia and Bhutan have also taken back some of their citizens through special flights.
Britain had advised its citizens to leave Bangladesh as well, but as air connectivity was suspended until Apr 7, the UK asked the Britons in Bangladesh who have booked flights after Mar 31 to ensure that they are rebooked after the air connectivity resumes.