A large number of flights from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka have been cancelled due to rising tensions in the Middle East.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), a total of 391 flights were cancelled between February 28 and March 11. By Wednesday noon alone, 24 more flights had been cancelled.
CAAB public relations official Kawsar Mahmud said several Middle Eastern countries closed their airspace after attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran.
Countries that closed their airspace include Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan. Because of these restrictions, many international flights from Dhaka have been cancelled.
Airport authorities said 23 flights were cancelled on February 28, followed by 40 on March 1, 46 on March 2, 39 on March 3, 28 on March 4, 36 on March 5, 34 on March 6, 28 on March 7, 28 on March 8, 33 on March 9, 32 on March 10, and 28 flights on March 11.
Among the cancelled flights are those operated by airlines such as Kuwait Airways, Gulf Air, Air Arabia, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Jazeera Airways, and flydubai.