The government will bring back 171 more Bangladeshis upon clearance from the Chinese authorities, said Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam.
“Another 171 Bangladeshis want to return home. They’ll be brought back upon China government’s clearance and the Bangladesh Ambassador in Beijing was informed in this regard,” he said.
The cabinet secretary said it while briefing journalists after the weekly cabinet meeting held at the Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, according to a report on UNB agency.
Coronavirus, which spread from China’s Wuhan, has killed 361 people and infected more than 17,300 globally until Monday, reports AP.
On Saturday, Bangladesh has brought 312 citizens back from China’s Wuhan, the epicentre of the new coronavirus outbreak and seven of them were sent to Kurmitola General Hospital.
After the Cabinet meeting, another special meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister, was held where a directive was given to the authorities concerned to take necessary steps so that coronavirus could not enter Bangladesh, Anwarul Islam said.
“This time we’ll try to bring them by Chinese flights because the Bangladeshi pilots who went to China last time for bringing the 312 Bangladeshis are not being allowed to enter different countries,” he added.
He also said if any Chinese national comes to Bangladesh, even via other countries, he will be double checked and will have to stay in quarantine for 15 days.
