Around 378 Bangladeshi passengers, stranded in Dubai due to ongoing Middle East tensions, arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Thursday morning aboard a special US-Bangla Airlines flight.

Hundreds of anxious family members crowded Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport early on Thursday morning, waiting eagerly for their loved ones to return home. The ongoing conflict involving Iran, the US, and Israel had created uncertainty over flight operations in Middle Eastern airspace, leaving many passengers stranded.

The long wait for worried families finally ended around 7:00 am when a US-Bangla Airlines special flight, an Airbus 330 with 436 seats, landed at the airport carrying 378 passengers who had been stuck in Dubai. The airport atmosphere quickly changed from tension to joy as people were reunited with their families, with many breaking down in tears of relief and happiness.

Returning passengers shared their experiences of the difficult situation. One stranded traveller explained the uncertainty they faced in recent days. “When I was coming to the airport yesterday, my ticket was cancelled. My company updated it. If something happened to us, what would our condition be? For that reason, flights were off”, he said. He added that he had to pay TK 90 thousand for a new ticket to return.

Another passenger who managed to return described the current situation in the region. “Those whose flights were cancelled earlier are all coming now. Many people are arriving. Flights scheduled for the March 28 and 29 have been rescheduled for March 5 and 7. Nothing much has happened. They are striking from a distance. The situation near us is normal”, he said.

The special flight not only carried general passengers but also brought back 27 cabin crew members of Biman Bangladesh Airlines who were stranded in Dubai. Returning expatriates expressed their gratitude towards US-Bangla Airlines for standing by them during the crisis.

“On behalf of myself and other expatriates, thank you, US-Bangla, for giving us a new life”, one grateful passenger said.

Explaining how the airline managed to operate the flight despite security risks in Middle Eastern airspace, Kamrul Islam General Manager (public relations) at US Bangla Airlines told media that aviation is essentially a service-oriented business.

“We have a responsibility here. The passengers who are in Bangladesh have trust in US-Bangla Airlines. As a return of that trust, we consulted with Dubai Airport Authority and got their permission to operate two special flights considering the overall situation”, he said.

Kamrul further mentioned that the airline sent an Airbus 330 aircraft to Dubai on March 4 specifically to bring back stranded Bangladeshis. He noted that apart from expatriates, they also brought back 27 flight crew members of the national flag carrier who were trapped in an uncertain situation due to the conflict.

Due to security concerns in the Middle East, several countries including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan temporarily closed their airspace from February 28. This disruption has led to the cancellation of 210 flights by various airlines over the past six days, with 34 flights cancelled on Thursday alone. Amid such extreme crisis, the special flight has brought relief to hundreds of families waiting for their loved ones.

Kamrul added that with Eid-ul-Fitr approaching, they are trying to bring back more stranded passengers. “We are applying for permission to operate additional special flights from Abu Dhabi and Sharjah as well”, he said.