Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has witnessed the cancellation of 367 international flights over the past eleven days due to the temporary closure of airspace in several Middle Eastern countries amid heightened regional security concerns.
Countries including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan have restricted access to their airspace, forcing airlines operating from Dhaka to suspend flights to these destinations. The disruption has caused significant inconvenience for thousands of passengers travelling to the Middle East, while creating a substantial scheduling backlog for airlines.
Airport authorities reported that the cancellations began on 28 February, and continued daily as the situation persisted. The number of cancelled flights per day is summarised below:
| Date | Number of Flights Cancelled |
|---|---|
| 28 Feb | 23 |
| 1 Mar | 40 |
| 2 Mar | 46 |
| 3 Mar | 39 |
| 4 Mar | 28 |
| 5 Mar | 36 |
| 6 Mar | 34 |
| 7 Mar | 28 |
| 8 Mar | 28 |
| 9 Mar | 33 |
| 10 Mar (post-midnight) | 32 |
The 32 flights cancelled since Monday midnight include operations by multiple carriers:
Kuwait Airways – 2 flights
Air Arabia – 4 flights
Gulf Air – 4 flights
Qatar Airways – 4 flights
Emirates – 4 flights
Jazeera Airways – 4 flights
Flydubai – 4 flights
Biman Bangladesh Airlines – 3 flights
US-Bangla Airlines – 3 flights
Officials caution that flight schedules may remain uncertain until Middle Eastern airspace is fully reopened. Once the situation stabilises, airlines plan to gradually resume previously cancelled services.
In the meantime, the airport administration advises all passengers to contact their respective airlines before travelling to confirm the latest flight status and avoid last-minute disruptions.
This prolonged disruption highlights the sensitivity of international air travel to geopolitical developments and underscores the importance of real-time communication between airlines, airports, and passengers.
