India-Pakistan conflict: 2 Dhaka-bound flights forced to return

Due to the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan, two flights en route from the Middle East to Dhaka were forced to return mid-journey. Meanwhile, flights departing from Dhaka to Middle Eastern destinations are currently avoiding Pakistani airspace.

This information was confirmed on Wednesday (May 7) by sources at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

According to the sources, several Middle Eastern-bound flights from Dhaka typically use Pakistani airspace. However, following the India-Pakistan conflict that began at midnight on Wednesday, flights from Dhaka to the Middle East are now reaching their destinations safely via alternative routes. No disruptions in flight operations have been reported.

Two Dhaka-bound flights — Turkish Airlines flight TK-712 from Turkey and Kuwait Airways flight J-9533 from Kuwait — were scheduled to travel to Bangladesh via Pakistani and Indian airspace on Wednesday at midnight. However, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24, the Turkish Airlines flight changed course mid-air and landed at Muscat International Airport in Oman. Meanwhile, the Kuwait Airways flight returned to Kuwait after flying for about one and a half hours.