Dhaka Cancels 131 Middle East Flights

A total of 131 outbound flights from Dhaka to Middle Eastern destinations have been suspended over four consecutive days amid escalating regional hostilities and widespread airspace closures. Authorities at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport confirmed that the cancellations were necessitated by mounting security concerns and the temporary shutdown of airspace in several countries across the Gulf region.

According to airport officials, the disruption began on 28 February after a sharp deterioration in the security environment in parts of the Middle East. In response, several nations — including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan — announced temporary closures of their airspace. The move had an immediate operational impact on flights scheduled to depart from Dhaka to those destinations.

The day-by-day breakdown of cancelled flights is as follows:

The highest number of cancellations occurred on 2 March, when 46 scheduled departures were grounded. On 3 March alone, affected services included four flights each operated by Qatar Airways, Emirates, Gulf Air and Flydubai, alongside two Kuwait Airways flights and four operated by Jazeera Airways. These services were primarily bound for Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Kuwait City and Manama.

The disruption has caused considerable distress to thousands of passengers. Among the worst affected are migrant workers returning to their places of employment, business travellers, students and those seeking medical treatment abroad. Many passengers reportedly arrived at the airport only to discover that their flights had been suspended, leading to additional complications concerning accommodation, visa validity and onward connections.

Airlines have stated that they are assisting affected travellers through rebooking arrangements, fare adjustments or refund procedures. However, the sudden nature of the cancellations has placed logistical pressure on both carriers and airport authorities.

There has been some improvement in the situation, with flights resuming to a number of destinations as regional conditions stabilise. Nevertheless, services to Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai remain subject to ongoing restrictions. Airport officials indicated that regular operations would fully resume once the relevant airspace is completely reopened.

Aviation analysts note that regional conflicts frequently exert swift and far-reaching consequences on international air travel. Temporary suspensions, though disruptive, are often considered unavoidable in order to safeguard passengers, crew and aircraft. Travellers have been strongly advised to verify the latest updates from their respective airlines before proceeding to the airport.