Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said it is unfortunate that Japanese authorities have barred Biman Bangladesh Airlines from operating special chartered flights to repatriate stranded citizens to and from Japan.
Japan imposed the restriction after four Bangladeshi passengers, on a recent special flight, tested positive for Covid-19 despite having certificates that said they were safe to travel and tested negative for coronavirus.
"It's very unfortunate. They showed health certificates saying they had no Covid-19 infection. But later they were tested positive for Covid-19. We don't know how it happened," Momen told media.
"Japanese authorities have put restrictions on special chartered flights to and from Japan as four of our passengers tested positive with Covid-19 when they were in quarantine in Japan," Biman Managing Director and CEO M Mokabbir Hossain told The Daily Star this afternoon.
Asked whether South Korean authorities also took same measures after allegation that 12 Bangladeshis reportedly tested Covid-19 positive despite having health certificates showing that they are Covid-19 negative, the Biman MD said, "We didn't operate special flight to South Korea. Therefore, I don't have any idea about this."
Minister Abdul Momen also said those who have provided fake health certificates must face music.
"I also think the concerned authorities of the airport (Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport) will have to be more careful about this," he said.
"We don't want to earn a bad name," the minister added.
Japan's Civil Aviation Bureau and other countries' respective authorities had previously agreed to allow Bangladesh to operate special charted flights on condition that all intended passengers must have health certificates stating that they are Covid-19 negative or do not have any symptom of the novel coronavirus and are safe to travel, said a top official of Biman wishing anonymity.
Since April 29, Biman operated three special flights to and from Japan.
Mohibul Haque, senior secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, said Japan had taken the decision due to fraudulence of some passengers regarding health certificate on Covid-19.
"Health officials at the Dhaka Airport should be made questionable for such scam," he also said.
He added that responsible persons behind this must be identified.
"Civil aviation authority should investigate into the matter which organisation provided such fake health certificate," the senior secretary also said.
"This was a disaster," he added.
