Qatar's Ministry of Public Health has included nine countries, including Bangladesh, in the COVID-19 exceptional red list. Qatar will introduce new travel rules for passengers from these countries, which are expected to take effect on Saturday (January 8).
As a result, Bangladeshi passengers will have to face many difficulties in coming and going to the country. However, Bangladesh Civil Aviation said Bangladeshis have nothing to worry about.
Counselor of the Bangladesh Embassy in Qatar Muhammad Mustafizur Rahman said that the country's Ministry of Public Health has put Bangladesh on its website as 'Covid-19-Exceptional Red List Countries'.
As can be seen on the website of the Ministry of Health of the country, there are names of nine countries including Bangladesh in this list. The rest are Egypt, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
An official of Bangladesh Civil Aviation, who did not want to be named, said there was nothing to worry about coming and going from Bangladesh because of the list. This is done to make sure that the Covid protocol is being followed properly.
Qatar had two lists, red and green, based on the risk of Covid-19. Now the country has made an 'exceptional red list' outside of it.
Even if a full dose of the vaccine is taken, Qatari residents will have to be quarantined for two days after returning from the exceptional red list countries, including Bangladesh. The PCR test should be done within 72 hours before landing in Qatar and within 36 hours after arrival.
And non-vaccinated passengers will have to do home quarantine for seven days after arriving in Qatar. In addition to the PCR test within 72 hours of arrival in the country, the test must be done on the sixth day of quarantine. The passenger will be released from the quarantine only on the seventh day if the test is negative. The Ministry of Health has said that no unvaccinated passenger will be allowed to enter the country.