Thousands of Bangladeshi expatriate workers face severe distress and career uncertainty as direct air traffic between Dhaka and Riyadh ground to a halt following the closure of King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia.
According to airport sources and civil aviation reports, at least 10 direct flights on the Dhaka-Riyadh route operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Saudia, US-Bangla Airlines, Riyadh Air, and SriLankan Airlines were cancelled between Saturday night and Sunday. The sudden disruptions have directly impacted approximately 3,000 Saudi-bound Bangladeshi migrants stranded at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), alongside nearly 4,000 return-bound Bangladeshi passengers stranded in Riyadh.
Many returning workers expressed deep anxiety over missing work re-joining deadlines, expiring visas, and potential employer actions. Alternative transit options—including secondary routes via Mumbai, Madinah, and Jeddah—have seen ticket prices surge exponentially, while transit restrictions in third countries further complicate travel. Airport authorities at HSIA have urged all passengers to refrain from coming to the airport without confirming revised departure schedules directly with their respective airlines, noting that flight operations will resume once security protocols at King Khalid International Airport are fully restored.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Staff Reporter • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
