The first batch of 164 Bangladeshi nationals stranded in India returned to Dhaka today aboard the US- Bangla airlines from Chennai. This was confirmed today by the General Manager of US-Bangla airline Kamrul Islam, reports the official news agency BSS.

He said that the stranded passengers bear the cost of the flight and several other flights will operate over the next few days to bring back Bangladeshi nationals from India.

Several hundred Bangladeshi nationals have already returned to the country from Kolkata, Tripura and other bordering areas of India after India declared lock-down in view of the Corona epidemic.

Earlier the High Commission of Bangladesh in India had said that nearly 2500 Bangladeshi citizens, including 1000 students were stranded in India due to Corona outbreak. A large number of Bangladeshi citizens stranded in India had come to India for medical treatment. The High Commission had said that it was working to bring them back to Bangladesh.

In the meanwhile, Bangladesh on Monday reported 492 new Corona infections over the last 24 hours. Ten people died due to Corona taking the death toll in the country to 101. The total number of Corona infected persons as on Monday reached 2948 out of which 85 people have recovered.

