After a 17-day break, international flights to and from Dhaka resumed today following government guidelines and instructions.

Passengers coming from 26 countries which include Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Chile, Croatia, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Kuwait, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Uruguay will have stay in 14-day institutional quarantine at the government-designated hotels at their own expenses.

However, no passengers are allowed to and from 12 countries which include India, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Mongolia, Oman, South Africa and Tunisia, according to a circular issued by Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) today.

Only Bangladeshi expatriates/citizens who visited (not residing) the 12 countries in last 15 days, are allowed to travel to Dhaka but they must have special approval from the competent authority of Bangladesh, the circular said.

Proof of hotel booking must be produced during check-in and the airlines representative will verify it before issuing the boarding pass.

Passengers can have transit via India, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Mongolia, Oman, South Africa and Tunisia but they will remain confined within the airport under the close supervision of the airlines.

As an exception, incoming passengers originating from Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar will have to complete a mandatory three-day institutional quarantine at government nominated hotels at their own expense.

Upon completion of the institutional quarantine, medical test will be carried out. The passengers will be released to complete 11 days' home quarantine if the medical test result is satisfactory.

CAAB in its circular also said passengers from countries, except for the above-mentioned 38 countries, are allowed to travel into Bangladesh. But the incoming passengers will have to stay in strict home quarantine for 14 days.

The government suspended regular flight operation on all international routes from April 14 to contain spread of Covid-19 infection.

Considering that visas and work permits of several thousand expatriate workers might be expired, the government allowed operation of special flights to five countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Singapore and Oman from April 17.

Later, operation of special flights to China, Bahrain and Kuwait also resumed.