Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has given a detailed outline of the weeklong suspension of all international passenger flights to and from Bangladesh from April 14 following the government's guidance and instruction.

According to a circular issued this evening, CAAB said the suspension will come to an effect from 12:01am (Bangladesh Standard Time) on April 14 and will continue until 12:59pm BST on April 20.

Medevac, humanitarian, relief, cargo, technical landing for refueling only and the flights cleared under special consideration will remain out of the purview of this suspension, CAAB said.

Authorities will be able to carry a maximum of 260 passengers on a wide body aircraft while 140 passengers are allowed on a narrow body aircraft in the aforesaid flights.

Irrespective of the Covid-19 vaccination and unless otherwise relaxed by the competent authority, all passengers coming or leaving Bangladesh by the flight mentioned aforesaid shall mandatorily possess PCR based Covid-19 negative certificate.

The PCR test shall be done within 72 hours of the flight departure time.

Passengers coming by the flights cleared under special consideration shall strictly have to complete a 14-day institutional quarantine at government nominated facilities or at hotels on passengers' own expenses.

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh has suspended operation of around 500 international flights, scheduled to operate to and from Dhaka in a week from April 14.

Talking to The Daily Star, CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, however, said no restriction will be imposed on the movement of chartered flights, cargo flights, air ambulance and special flights.

Mafidur said during the strict lockdown all over the country, passengers will find it very hard to reach Dhaka Airport as transport services will remain suspended.

"It would not be possible for air passengers to reach the airport to catch their respective flights," he also said.

Earlier, CAAB suspended passenger flight operations on all domestic routes following weeklong countrywide restriction from April 5.

When the coronavirus outbreak started in the country in March last year, all types of flights were suspended from Dhaka.

Later, when the situation came under control, domestic flights were resumed from July. Then the international flights were started gradually.

As the transmission increased in the second phase, CAAB cut off air communication with all European countries except the United Kingdom from April 3.

Apart from European countries, flights to Bangladesh from Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Peru, Qatar, South Africa, Turkey and Uruguay are closed.