Hong Kong bars Bangladesh among 153 countries from transit

Hong Kong has barred passengers from 153 nations including Bangladesh from transiting through the country as part of their newly imposed measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The list of nations also includes other South Asian countries including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

The decision was announced through a statement from the Hong Kong Airport Authority Friday (14 January).

"All passenger flights from these places (banned countries) will be prohibited from landing in Hong Kong, and at the same time, persons who have stayed in these places for more than two hours in the 21-day period will be restricted from boarding passenger flights for Hong Kong anti-virus travel measures," it read.

It also said that passenger transfer and transit services via Hong Kong International Airport for any persons who have stayed in the listed 153 nations in the past 21 days will be suspended.

The South-East Asian nation has already suspended flights with Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States.