Saudi-bound Bangladeshi expatriates fall in troubles

Saudi Arabia-bound Bangladeshi expatriates fall in sufferings due to new restrictions imposed by the Saudi Arabian government to prevent the coronavirus infection.

Many have fallen in troubles due to lack of cooperation in booking hotels for seven-day quarantine at their own expense after arriving in the country. On Friday (May 21) afternoon, most of the passengers of Saudi Airlines could not book hotels for their quarantine.

Many missed their flights as they could not book hotels. Many of them expired the certificates of Coronavirus test. Meanwhile, the airlines’ flight schedules have become chaotic after the new conditions were imposed. Biman Bangladesh Airlines has canceled the flight till May 24 due to complications.

The Saudi government has recently imposed a number of conditions on foreign travelers to Saudi Arabia. It is compulsory for all foreign nationals traveling to the country to have Covid Medical Insurance. This insurance will cover the cost of 14-day in institutional quarantine and hospital-clinic. In addition, the concerned airlines have to make arrangements to stay in the institutional quarantine. Airlines are also required to arrange PCR tests on the first and seventh days of travel for individuals wishing to travel to Saudi Arabia. 

Saudi Arabia has also demanded that the airline submit a list of passengers to the country’s authorities four days before departure. The new condition has been in effect since Thursday.

Under these conditions, the cost has increased for Saudi-bound passengers. Flights are operated from Dhaka to Dammam, Riyadh and Jeddah routes in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Airlines operates flights on eight routes. One-way fares on these routes range from a minimum of Tk 45,000 to a maximum of Tk 57,000. The cost of quarantine at a hotel designated by the Saudi government is Tk 65,700, which is about 20 per cent more than the ticket price. An expatriate must be tested for coronavirus once he or she arrives in Saudi Arabia. The test will be repeated on the sixth day of quarantine. Each time 129 Saudi Riyals will cost the Bangladeshis around Tk 6,000 for tests in two phases.

It was learned that the expatriate workers crowded the office of Saudi Arabia Airlines in Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and Karwan Bazar area on Thursday morning to fulfill the conditions. 

Many of those who bought tickets could not fly to the country on Thursday because they could not meet the conditions. Even on Friday afternoon, most of the passengers on the Saudi Airlines flight to Jeddah did not complete hotel bookings. Passengers are not getting a solution even after going to the office of Saudi Airlines. Their complaint is that no specific information is being given about where the hotel booking will be given. They are rushing to the airport and airline offices.