Heavy Rain Delays Over 50 Flights at Dhaka Airport

Continuous heavy rain and adverse weather conditions severely disrupted flight operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) on Sunday, forcing two international flights to divert to alternate airports and delaying more than 50 domestic and international arrivals and departures.

According to airport sources, a US-Bangla Airlines flight from Dubai to Dhaka was diverted to Osmani International Airport in Sylhet after it was unable to land in the capital due to poor weather.

A China Southern Airlines flight from Guangzhou was also diverted, landing at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata after adverse weather prevented it from landing in Dhaka.

The poor weather also affected dozens of other flights, with several aircraft forced to remain airborne before landing, while many departures were delayed.

Among the affected services were Etihad Airways flights from Abu Dhabi, Air Arabia from Sharjah, Emirates and flydubai flights from Dubai, Malaysia Airlines from Kuala Lumpur, several Biman Bangladesh Airlines flights from Madinah and Saidpur, and US-Bangla Airlines services from Jeddah and Chattogram.

Airport officials said heavy overnight rainfall, reduced visibility and strong winds created unsafe operating conditions, prompting air traffic controllers to delay take-offs and landings and divert some flights to ensure passenger safety.

The disruption to inbound international flights also affected the airport's overall schedule, triggering delays across both domestic and international operations throughout the day.

Hundreds of passengers were left stranded at the airport as flights arrived and departed several hours behind schedule, resulting in long queues and overcrowding at different terminals.

Airport authorities advised passengers to stay in contact with their respective airlines for the latest flight updates as weather conditions continued to affect operations.