The government has stepped in to help Kuwait expatriates who came to Dhaka on leave but cannot go back without coronavirus free certificate. Bangladesh is so far free from the new virus known as COVID-19. But Kuwait recently informed that all passengers from the Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Syria, Azarbaijan, Georgia and Lebanon entering the country after March 8 must secure a medical clearance from the embassy in their country certifying that they are free from coronavirus.
Otherwise they will not be allowed to enter Kuwait. But the Kuwait embassy in Dhaka asked them to secure the certificate from the Bangladesh government when they approached on Thursday. Dozens of them later gathered at the IEDCR, government’s disease monitoring arm. But the IEDCR, which does not test individual cases, had no knowledge about the embassy’s decision.
Mohammad Rashed who is living in Kuwait for 19 years came to Dhaka on February 20. His return flight is on March 10. “Today (Thursday) when I went to the embassy for the certificate, they asked me to collect that from the IEDCR. That’s why I came here,” he said, showing the copy of the embassy letter.
Director General for Health Services Prof Abul Kalam Azad later came to the IEDCR and heard their plight. He told them that the government would take steps. Later the director general told journalists that by Saturday they will inform the Kuwait expatriates from where they will collect that certificate. “We’ll designate a place, may be a hospital or any government institute who have the ability to issue that certificate,” he said.
The director general said they respect the Kuwait’s sovereign decision to prevent the virus entering from their country. “We just came to know that the embassy in Dhaka asked our citizens to collect that certificate from the government. We’ll take measures,” he said. He, however, urged all to delay their travel, if possible. “If it does not cause any harm to your job or work, please delay the travel for now,” he said, adding that Bangladesh is so far coronavirus free. He said the government is screening all the inbound passengers from airport, land and sea ports.
