With increasing numbers of Bhutanese living and working abroad losing their jobs and are forced to return home amid the coronavirus pandemic, the government is arranging flights to bring back its citizen.
639 Bhutanese will be returning home from the Middle East in the fourth phase of repatriation flight. The Foreign Minister at the press brief yesterday shared that the plans are being worked out to arrange five flights to bring them home between 24th May and 1st June.
Five repatriation flights- three to Kuwait, one to Dubai and one to Kuwait-Bahrain will be evacuating 398 Bhutanese from Kuwait, 131 from Dubai and 110 from Kuwait and Bahrain.
Dr Tandi Dorji, the Foreign Minister urges the general public not to stigmatize and blame those coming from abroad for the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country. “The ones who are returning home are doing so because it is difficult for them to stay abroad during such times. Some have lost their jobs, aren’t getting paid, are running out of cash to pay rent and make a living out there, have nowhere to go seek treatment in case they fall ill. I request our people to support each other and not ask the government to stop bringing in fellow Bhutanese home from abroad. The ones who do not have problems are still working abroad,” Lyonpo said.
As per the information with the Foreign ministry’s Consular Division 12,759 Bhutanese are currently living in 70 countries. 70 of them living in Canada and the US have expressed their wish to return home and the Foreign Minister said that the ministry is exploring options to arrange special flights through the Middle East.
So far close to 4400 (4348) have returned home from 28 countries and this is including those who returned through special flights, on chartered flights and via road transport.
Phub Gyem
