542 nationals of Canada, Australia leave Dhaka on chartered flights

A total of 542 Canadian and Australian citizens, who were stranded in Bangladesh following the outbreak of coronavirus, have left Dhaka for their respective countries on separate chartered flights.

Of them, 257 were Canadian citizens and 285 were Australians, sources at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport said.

A special flight of Qatar Airways left HSIA for Toronto at around 10:00pm on Thursday carrying the 257 Canadian citizens, said an official of the Aviation Security (AVSEC) of HSIA.

Besides, 285 Australian citizens left HSIA on a chartered flight of Sri Lankan Air at around 9:30pm on Thursday.

The Sri Lankan Air flight had earlier brought back 30 Bangladeshi nationals, who were stranded in Sri Lanka following outbreak of coronavirus, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) told media yesterday.

The Canadian and Australian high commissions in Dhaka, with the help of the Bangladesh government, chartered the special flights for their citizens, mostly expatriate Bangladeshis, who opted to return home amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Earlier on Tuesday, 214 stranded Canadian citizens left Dhaka for Toronto by a chartered flight of Qatar Airways.

Previously, citizens of the USA, Japan, Malaysia, Bhutan and different European countries also left Dhaka by chartered flights.

Air communications to and from Dhaka remained suspended with all countries except for China since mid-March to contain spread of deadly Covid-19.