Shafiqul Islam (Shafiq)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has agreed to set up an RT-PCR lab to test for corona virus samples at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The decision came into effect on Wednesday (September 29) at 12 noon. The decision was announced in a letter from the UAE embassy in Dhaka yesterday afternoon. The letter was sent from the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates to Air vice Marshal M Mofidur Rahman, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The letter said the embassy in Dhaka was informed by the UAE Civil Aviation Authority that tests of the Corona RT-PCR labs at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport had been approved. A request has been made to start flights from Bangladesh to the UAE.

On September 15, the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare selected seven non-government organizations to set up RT-PCR laboratories for corona test at Shahjalal International Airport. Of these, six companies submitted Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on 16 September. These SOPs are sent to the UAE for verification. The UAE authorities gave their consent yesterday.

Last August, the UAE imposed an RT-PCR test on the corona virus six hours before the trip to the country. Due to this, the expatriates have not been able to go to work for a long time. Meanwhile, expatriates have been demanding the establishment of Rapid RT-PCR laboratories at the country’s international airports for rapid detection of corona virus. They also staged demonstrations and issued memorandums to demand this.

The cabinet meeting on September 6 directed the concerned persons to set up RT-PCR test for corona detection at three international airports of the country including Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

Although arrangements have been made for corona testing at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and consent has been obtained, no initiative has been taken yet to install RT-PCR devices at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong and Osmani International Airport in Sylhet.