Around 10,000 passengers have been affected by the cancellation of 61 Dhaka-Riyadh flights following the closure of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh amid a series of attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants.
Of the flights cancelled between Saturday and early Tuesday, 22 were direct services while 39 were connecting flights, according to sources involved in flight management at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Among the 22 direct flights, nine were operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, two by US-Bangla Airlines, four by Saudia and seven by Riyadh Air.
The 39 affected connecting flights included 16 operated by IndiGo, nine by Emirates, five by Qatar Airways, five by flydubai, three by SalamAir and one by EgyptAir.
Passengers booked on the connecting flights were scheduled to travel to Riyadh via different transit hubs. However, the airlines did not carry the Riyadh-bound passengers from Dhaka after their onward services to the Saudi capital were cancelled.
Riyadh airport was closed on Sunday following an attack by Iran-backed Houthi militants.
The airport has reportedly come under attack at least five times over the past week. Three Saudi nationals, including a pilot, were killed in an attack last Thursday.
During the attack, the Houthis reportedly targeted airport infrastructure as well as a Saudia aircraft. The pilot is believed to have been killed in the strike on the aircraft.
Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen and the Saudi-led military coalition have been exchanging attacks for nearly two months, with Riyadh airport emerging as a key target.
The Houthis had earlier warned airlines against operating through Saudi airspace, threatening severe consequences for carriers that continued to do so.
The latest disruption has severely affected air connectivity between Bangladesh and Riyadh, causing uncertainty for thousands of passengers, including migrant workers and other travellers.