ছবি: সংগৃহিত
Thousands of expatriates and travelers from Bangladesh heading to Saudi Arabia have been left stranded following the abrupt suspension of flight operations at major Saudi airports. The disruptions, triggered by security restrictions following an attack at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, have impacted 51 direct and transit flights, leaving over 5,400 passengers in limbo.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) officially confirmed the crisis through a press release on Monday afternoon (October 12, 2026), noting that the cancellations and suspensions took place between Saturday night and Monday afternoon.
Breakdown of Affected Flights
According to CAAB data, out of the 51 affected flights, 12 operate directly between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia, while 39 are international transit services:
Direct Flights: Biman Bangladesh Airlines (4), US-Bangla Airlines (2), Saudia (3), and Riyadh Air (3).
Transit Flights: IndiGo (16), SalamAir (3), EgyptAir (1), Emirates (9), Qatar Airways (5), and flydubai (5).
Flight-tracking portal Flightradar24 reported that all incoming flights to Riyadh were either diverted or grounded. According to Reuters, the emergency measures were enacted after a major security incident at the King Khalid International Airport on Saturday. Airport authorities have strongly advised passengers to verify flight statuses with their respective carriers before heading to terminals.
Airlines Issue Advisories
In response to the indefinite closure, private carrier US-Bangla Airlines announced that all its flights on the Dhaka-Riyadh-Dhaka route (Flights BS 381 and BS 382) will remain suspended until October 21. The airline urged passengers not to visit the airport unnecessarily and to contact official sales offices or travel agents for rescheduling and updates, expressing deep regret for the inconvenience caused.
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