Airlines operating at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in the capital have cancelled a total of 102 flights to Middle-Eastern destinations over three days since February 28 following the US-Israel strike on Iran.
Group Captain S M Ragib Samad, executive director of the airport, confirmed the update to The Financial Express.
He said that at least 39 flights were cancelled on Monday (March 2), following 23 cancellations on February 28 and another 40 on Sunday. The disruptions affected both international carriers and Bangladeshi airlines operating routes to and from Middle Eastern countries.
The cancellations came after Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan temporarily closed their airspace on February 28, directly impacting operations from Dhaka.
Monday saw multiple flight cancellations across Gulf carriers. Qatar Airways called off four services, while Emirates cancelled five flights.
Gulf Air suspended two operations from Bahrain, and Flydubai halted four services from the UAE.
Meanwhile, Kuwait Airways cancelled two flights, and Air Arabia suspended eight services from Sharjah.
Bangladeshi carriers also faced significant disruptions, with Biman Bangladesh Airlines cancelling four flights and US-Bangla Airlines suspending ten services.
Airlines have been forced to reschedule operations and accommodate stranded passengers.
Flight operations have resumed on some routes, excluding Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai.
However, uncertainty persists as Middle Eastern nations maintain airspace restrictions pending security assessments.
Bangladesh's aviation sector heavily relies on Middle Eastern connectivity, with thousands of migrant workers, business travellers and tourists using these routes daily.
Millions of Bangladeshi expatriates work across Gulf nations, making these cancellations particularly disruptive.
Airlines are providing alternative arrangements for affected passengers, though options remain limited while major Gulf hubs remain closed.
Industry sources estimate that hundreds of Bangladeshi passengers remain stranded at various airports.
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