Govt sets fresh instructions for expats to return home

The government has given new instructions to the expatriates returning to the country from abroad to prevent the Omicron variant.

The current 72-hour time limit of Covid-19 testing for inbound passengers has been reduced to 48 hours.

Besides, it has been made compulsory for the passengers coming from Africa to keep them to a 14-day quarantine, said the minister adding that at the same time, they have to show Covid-19 certificate, a test conducted before 48 hours of boarding a flight.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque came up with the development urging all Bangladeshi expatriates to stay at their workplace instead of returning home in a bid to contain the spread of Omicron variant of Covid-19.

"Specially requesting those who are staying in African countries, please stay in your own workplace. Because if 20,000 people return home all together, we will not be able to arrange quarantine for all," said the minister while speaking at a programme at BSPS auditorium on Wednesday noon.

He said: "The hotels where arrangements were made for quarantine earlier, were back to normal following the improvement of the situation. Now we are asking them again to arrange quarantine facilities.

"We have issued instructions at the entry ports of the country, including airports and land ports, to prevent Omicron."

He further said, "I hope we will be successful to tackle the situation if everyone cooperates with us."