More than two weeks after the prime minister ordered to set up RT-PCR labs at Dhaka airport within two to three days, two ministers yesterday said the current location was unsuitable and would be relocated elsewhere in the airport.

As a result, the fate of around 35,000 Bangladeshi expatriates waiting to return to their places of work in the United Arab Emirates continues to be in limbo.

The Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority (Caab) had offered the roof of the two-story parking lot north of the main building at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in the capital as a location for Covid-19 testing of outgoing passengers .

Expats waiting to return to the Emirates have claimed the situation is due to a serious lack of coordination between relevant ministries and departments.

The fact that just three days after Caab President Air Vice-Marshal M Mafidur Rahman declared that the laboratories would be operational in three to four days, Expatriate Social Affairs Minister Imran Ahmad and Minister Health Minister Zahid Maleque said the venue was unsuitable yesterday.

The organizations chosen by the health directorate to perform the Covid-19 tests had previously said the same. After visiting HSIA yesterday, ministers said the labs would be temporarily relocated inside the airport.

After about three months of suspension of flights between Dhaka and the United Arab Emirates, the Gulf country last month set a condition that foreigners must test negative for Covid-19 in tests carried out no more than six hours before they go. boarding flights to the United Arab Emirates.

On September 6, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called on the relevant health ministries and directorate to set up laboratories at the country’s three international airports in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet within two to three days.

On September 15, the expatriate welfare ministry announced that based on recommendations from the health directorate, they had authorized seven health facilities to set up laboratories at HSIA.

The next day, Caab, in a meeting, asked representatives of the seven organizations to set up their laboratories on the roof of the two-story parking lot.

Although representatives from the seven health facilities argued that it would not be possible for them to set up the RT-PCR labs in an open space due to various complications, Caab remained rigid in his position.

Caab even said that organizations that have problems setting up labs in the offered space may choose not to accept the job, sources they met with.

After the ministers’ visit yesterday, sources with knowledge of developments said that when the necessary infrastructure is put in place on the roof of the parking lot, the temporary laboratory facilities will be moved there.

Speaking to reporters, the two ministers yesterday could not say for sure when this would be done.

Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Ahmed Munirush Salehin, Secretary for Expatriate Welfare, the President of Caab were present, among others, during the visit of the ministers.

Asked when the lab was set up, Imran Ahmad said it should have been set up a week ago, but it is taking a bit of time due to the involvement of different ministries. These issues have almost been resolved, he said.

Regarding the installation of the labs on the roof, Imran Ahmad said that it would take around 10 days for the roof to be fit for the labs.

He said work inside the airport to set up laboratories would begin in two to three days.

“If an organization now says it doesn’t have the equipment or if it says it will have to import equipment, then I will say it can go home. It will have to set up the labs in the next three days, ”Imran said. Ahmad said.

Asked when the laboratories were to be set up, Zahid Maleque said his ministry had done its job and that they had handed over the rest of the work to the expatriate welfare ministry.

In another program in the city, Zahid Maleque expressed disappointment with Caab’s choice of location, saying the roof of the parking lot is not a suitable place to set up the labs.

A disappointed health minister asked how a lab could fit into an open space.