The authorities failed to start a full-scale operation of the much-awaited RT-PCR laboratories for Covid tests at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Tuesday as the United Arab Emirates is yet to approve the standard operating procedures of five labs out of the six installed at the airport.
Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh chairman Air Vice-Marshal M Mafidur Rahman announced the development in a press briefing on Tuesday.
Bangladeshi migrant workers intending to return to their UAE workplaces will have to wait more days as many of them are facing visa expiry.
Earlier, the CAAB announced that Covid tests for departing passengers would begin in full-scale at the airport on Tuesday.
CAAB chairman said that they sent the SOPs of six labs installed by six firms to the UAE two weeks ago but the evaluation committee of the country was yet to approve the SOPs of five labs, said Mafidur.
‘I am in constant contacts with the UAE ambassador in Dhaka and Bangladesh ambassador in the UAE. They have assured me that the SOPs will be approved soon,’ said the CAAB chairman.
He, however, could not confirm any date when the full-scale operations of the RT-PCR labs would begin.
The UAE has imposed a condition that passengers travelling to the UAE will have to go through Covid test at the airport at least 6 hours before departing the country.
CAAB officials said that the RT-PCR labs were set up at the Dhaka airport under the supervision of the Directorate General of Health Services on Monday and the authorities were ready to send migrant workers to the UAE on Tuesday but the move was postponed over the delay in getting approval for the five SOPs.
CAAB chairman Mafidur said that the UAE authorities were aware of the profile of a Bangladeshi firm and approved the SOP of the lab installed by it.
The firm started operating the RT-PCR lab a few days ago and a number of people were sent to the UAE in two special flights.
Mafidur said that the UAE authorities questioned why several firms were needed for Covid tests at the airport and the CAAB responded that a single firm could not carry out the task.
If many firms are involved, a good number of migrant workers could go to their workplace quickly, he said.
Mafidur said that some special flights were allowed to the UAE as per the country’s request, but the CAAB decided not to allow any more special flights until the UAE authorities approved the SOPs.
The CAAB said that the samples of around 3,000-4,500 people would be tested at the labs every day.
