Biman halts flights to Cox’s Bazar due to Cyclone Remal, takeoff services suspended on all routes

The national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines has announced the suspension of its flights to Cox’s Bazar for today (Sunday) due to Cyclone Remal.

In addition, flights BG395 and BG391 to Kolkata will remain suspended on Sunday (May 26) and Monday (May 27) respectively, said Bosra Islam, General Manager, Public Relations Department, Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

This morning, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) instructed the seaports of Payra and Mongla to hoist Major Danger Signal 10, and the seaports of Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram to hoist Major Danger Signal 9.

Subsequently, authorities at Shah Amanat International Airport announced that the airfield and runway will remain closed for eight hours today, from 12 noon to 8 p.m.

Group Captain Taslim Ahmed, director of Shah Amanat International Airport, confirmed the closure and said all preventive measures had been taken to protect the airport’s resources and ensure the safety of its staff.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Shipping has suspended shipping operations on all routes from 10 p.m. today as the low pressure area over the central-eastern bay and the adjacent central-western bay intensified into cyclone “Remal”.

All inland waterway transport from river ports in Dhaka will remain suspended until further notice, said Md Jahangir Alam Khan, senior information officer at the ministry.

According to BMD, the deep low pressure system over the east-central bay and the adjacent west-central bay moved northward yesterday evening (May 25) and strengthened into a cyclonic storm “Remal” over the northwestern bay and the adjacent area.

Minister of State for Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohibur Rahman said cyclonic storm Remal was expected to make landfall in the coastal districts of Satkhira in Khulna and Cox’s Bazar in Chattogram by Sunday evening.

Nearly 4,000 emergency shelters have been set up in the coastal districts and provided with sufficient dry food, he said at a press conference in the Secretariat.