Gulf states reopen airspace following temporary closure; flights from Dhaka resume

Dhaka: Flight operations on several Middle Eastern routes returned to normal on June 24; after Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain reopened their airspace, which had been temporarily closed due to regional tensions.

According to a press release from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the four Gulf nations lifted restrictions and resumed commercial flight operations from 3:00 am local time.

The airspace closure was triggered by a missile strike on a US military base in Doha on the night of June 23. In response, the four countries halted air traffic “until further notice,” leading to major disruptions on multiple international routes.

Two Dhaka-bound flights to Doha were notably affected mid-air. A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight (BG-325) was forced to make an emergency landing in Muscat, Oman, while a US-Bangla Airlines flight (BS-333) rerouted to Ahmedabad, India. Biman officials confirmed that the aircraft would refuel and return to Dhaka, with alternative arrangements being made for passengers.

In addition to the diverted flights, several scheduled departures on June 23 were impacted. These included:

Sharjah: Two Air Arabia flights and one US-Bangla flight

Dubai: One Emirates flight and one US-Bangla flight

Kuwait: Two Jazeera Airways flights

Doha: Two Qatar Airways flights, and one each from Biman Bangladesh and US-Bangla

These flights are now gradually resuming as per updated schedules.

Group Captain Ragib Samad, Executive Director of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, advised passengers to check with their respective airlines or travel agents to confirm revised departure times. He thanked travelers for their patience and assured that any further changes would be communicated promptly.

Authorities expressed regret for the inconvenience caused and urged passengers to stay alert for updates as the situation continues to stabilize.