Flights between Dhaka and Gulf destinations suspended amid tensions

All flights between Dhaka and several Gulf destinations have been suspended following escalated tension in the region as the US-Israael attack on Iran, and Iran's counterattack as embroiled the entire region.

Airport and airline officials say that from Biman suspended Gulf operations from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) amid reports of explosions and ongoing attacks in parts of the Middle East, after the United States and Israel launched strikes in Iran.

In an official release, HSIA said the airspace over Bahrain, Kuwait, Dubai, and Qatar had been temporarily closed as per decisions by the respective civil aviation authorities, triggering cancellations, delays, and rescheduling of commercial flights on affected routes.

The HSIA also issued directives to airlines operating the affected routes, instructing them to notify passengers in advance of cancellations and delays via SMS, email, and call centres. Airlines were further directed to ensure that staff remain available at the airport to assist travellers and provide clear, coordinated information regarding rescheduled flights to prevent unnecessary inconvenience.

Passengers planning to travel on these routes were requested to contact their respective airline offices or travel agencies to verify flight status and take necessary steps, the airport release said, adding that the situation is being closely monitored.

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Biman suspends Middle East bound flights

Biman's general manager of public relations, Boshra Islam, said all of the carrier’s Middle East flights had been suspended due to ongoing attacks in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

In a separate notification, Boshra urged passengers bound for Middle East destinations not to come to the airport without contacting the airline first.

“Today, passengers travelling to Middle East-bound flights, including Dammam, Jeddah, Madina, Riyadh, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi, are requested not to come to the airport without contacting Biman Bangladesh Airlines,” the notice said.

Meanwhile, private carrier US-Bangla Airlines said it was monitoring the situation.

Its flights to Middle East destinations, including Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, remain suspended, said Kamrul Islam, the airline’s general manager (public relations).

Kamrul also said that, as of this afternoon, none of US-Bangla’s aircraft on Middle East routes were airborne and all were stationed at airports.