As the fear over coronavirus spreads, many countries have cancelled flights to China. From Bangladesh, four airlines’ operate direct flights to China and Hong Kong but they have not been stopped as yet. But the senior secretary of civil aviation and tourism, Mohibul Huq, has said that the situation is being monitored.
From Bangladesh, US Bangla Airlines, China Southern, China Eastern have direct flights to and from China every day while Dragon Air operates four flights to Hong Kong per week. Every day, around 500 people are coming from China in these flights while 200-300 persons are going to China from Bangladesh every day.
An official of US-Bangla Airlines said: “We have flights to Guangzhou of China but if the government issues a stoppage of flights then we will follow it.”
Many other airlines’ including Air Canada, United Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Lion Air, Cathay Pacific have stopped flights to China.
Two Indian airlines have also stopped operation to China.
To prevent the spread of the virus, China has also stopped all communication with high-risk cities within the country.
Director of Shahjalal International Airport, AHM Touhid ul Ahsan, said: “The airlines’ can stop the flights of their own but we cannot order the stoppage of any flights. However, all passengers at the airport are being detected via the thermal scanner.”