Migrant workers protest for tickets to Saudi Arabia
A group of Bangladeshi migrant workers on Tuesday held a demonstration at Karwanbazar in the capital demanding tickets to Saudi Arabia to join their workplaces.
Several hundred migrant workers gathered in front of the Saudia Airlines office around 9:30 am to secure tickets.
The airlines issued a notice that they have suspended issuing tickets, sparking protests.
The workers then blocked the key Sonargaon crossing, halting vehicular movement for about an hour.
Petrol inspector Taiyabur Rahman said vehicular movement in the area turned normal around 11:30am.
The Bangladeshi migrant workers have been struggling in Dhaka for the last couple of days to confirm their return tickets for their workplaces in Saudi Arabia as the Middle Eastern country was set to operate its flights from Dhaka following the COVID-19 restrictions.
The Saudia Airlines office in Dhaka started confirming their tickets on Sunday while Biman Bangladesh Airlines got slots from the Saudi airport authorities to run its flight.
Md Mokabbir Hossain, the managing director and chief executive director at Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited, said they got approval to operate flights from October 1.
Landing permission is required before the beginning of seat reservation. But Saudi Arabia is yet to provide it, he told reporters.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh officials said they have given permission to Saudi Arabian Airlines to operate two weekly flights from Dhaka and the airlines were set to operate their flights from September 23 onwards.
The Bangladesh government suspended regular flight operations with all countries, except China, from mid-March to contain COVID-19 spread.
Although regular air communications with some countries resumed on a limited scale, regular flight operations between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia remained suspended till date.
Saudi Arabia is home to more than 22 lakh Bangladeshis most of whom are involved in low-paid work.
At present, 13 airlines, including 11 foreign air carriers, were operating nearly 50 weekly flights to seven countries from Bangladesh.
News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net
