Bangladesh removes COVID-19 health declaration requirement for air passengers

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – Bangladesh has removed the mandatory health declaration form for incoming air passengers in order to ease travel restrictions as the COVID-19 situation improves.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) made the decision to lift the mandatory online submission titled "Health Declaration Form" with immediate effect.

A CAAB circular was issued on Monday but sent to concerned government offices, including the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), on Tuesday.

"The provision of filling the online health declaration form in the case of coming to Bangladesh has been canceled. However other conditions remain unchanged," the circular reads.

According to the previous circular issued on June 2, which is still in effect in the latest orders, travelers who have completed a full dose (single/double dose as applicable for a full dose) of WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccine can enter Bangladesh with official proof of vaccination and no negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19 is required.

Travelers without having a full dose (single/double dose as applicable for a full dose) of the COVID-19 vaccine can enter Bangladesh if they possess a PCR-based COVID-19 negative certificate done within 72 hours of departure time.

According to CAAB, no PCR-negative certificate is required for incoming passengers under the age of 12.

In the country of 165 million people, the COVID-19 situation has improved in recent months.

The south Asian country on Tuesday reported 94 new cases, taking the total caseload to 2.03 million, and one COVID-19 death, bringing the death toll to 29,424 with a 1.45% mortality rate, according to the DGHS.