Biman Suspends Middle East Flights

State-owned flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines has announced the suspension of all its flights to Middle Eastern destinations until 8 March, citing escalating regional tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel. The decision, communicated to travel agencies on Friday afternoon (6 March), extends an earlier suspension that had already halted services on these routes from 3 to 5 March.

According to officials at Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the extension was deemed necessary due to heightened security risks in regional airspace and the temporary closure of several Middle Eastern flight corridors. Aviation authorities in multiple countries imposed these restrictions after fears that the ongoing geopolitical conflict could threaten civilian aviation.

The airline confirmed that several key routes connecting Bangladesh with the Middle East have been affected. These destinations are among the busiest for Bangladeshi carriers, largely due to the large expatriate workforce living and working in the Gulf region.

The suspended destinations include major cities in the Gulf region such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, Dammam in Saudi Arabia, Doha in Qatar, and Kuwait City in Kuwait. These routes typically carry thousands of migrant workers and business travellers each week.

Biman officials stated that once the regional security situation improves and airspace restrictions are lifted, the airline will gradually resume normal operations. Passengers whose flights have been cancelled will be notified of revised schedules or alternative travel arrangements as soon as the situation stabilises.

The disruption stems from a broader aviation crisis triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East. Beginning on 28 February, several countries—including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan—temporarily closed parts of their airspace to civilian aircraft as a precautionary measure. Such closures significantly disrupt international flight routes, forcing airlines either to suspend services or to take longer alternative routes.

The impact has been felt strongly at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s main international gateway. Many foreign carriers operating between South Asia, Europe and the Middle East rely on air corridors passing through these regions. When these corridors become unavailable, schedules across multiple airlines are affected.

Available aviation data indicates that by Friday a total of 245 flights departing from Dhaka had been cancelled due to the ongoing crisis. These cancellations involve both Bangladeshi and international airlines, highlighting the widespread disruption across the aviation sector.

The following table summarises some of the principal destinations affected by the suspension of Biman flights:

Aviation analysts note that the Middle East serves as a critical transit hub linking Asia, Europe and Africa. Any instability in the region’s airspace therefore tends to ripple across global aviation networks. For Bangladesh in particular, the Gulf region is economically significant due to the millions of Bangladeshi expatriates employed there.

Biman has urged passengers to maintain regular contact with its call centre or authorised travel agencies for updates regarding flight schedules and possible rescheduling options. Until regional tensions ease and airspace restrictions are lifted, airline authorities caution that further disruptions to international flights may continue.