Flight operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka have been thrown into chaos as multiple Middle Eastern nations shut their airspace amid escalating regional tensions, forcing widespread cancellations for nearly two weeks.
On Wednesday alone, 24 flights were cancelled, bringing the total number of cancellations since 28 February to 391, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).
The closures imposed by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan have directly affected airlines operating between Bangladesh and the Middle East, one of the busiest travel corridors for Bangladeshi workers and expatriates.
Among Wednesday’s cancellations were:
2 Kuwait Airways
4 Air Arabia (Sharjah)
2 Gulf Air (Bahrain)
4 Qatar Airways
4 Emirates
4 Jazeera Airways
4 flydubai
CAAB data shows the disruption has been relentless:
23 flights cancelled on 28 Feb
40 on 1 Mar
46 on 2 Mar
39 on 3 Mar
28 on 4 Mar
36 on 5 Mar
34 on 6 Mar
28 on 7 Mar
28 on 8 Mar
33 on 9 Mar
32 on 10 Mar
With Wednesday’s cancellations, the total has climbed to 391, leaving thousands of passengers stranded or forced to rebook through longer, more expensive routes.
Officials say cancellations will likely continue until regional airspace reopens, though no timeline has been given.
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