Bangladesh state minister for foreign affairs M Shahriar Alam
The Malaysian government has imposed a ban beginning from Monday on the entry of citizens of 12 countries which have more than 150,000 COVID-19 cases.
The countries are the United States, Brazil, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Bangladesh, according to an announcement made on September 3, Bangladesh diplomatic sources in Kuala Lumpur said.
Malaysia had also imposed a similar ban on citizens of India, Indonesia and Philippines on September 1.
Malaysia would not allow travellers from the high-risk countries to cross the borders, Malaysian senior minister Ismail Sabri Yakcop said, giving a hint that the list might get longer.
Exceptions are, however, made for travellers on bilateral government affairs, emergency cases, permanent residents, foreign spouses of Malaysians and people approved under Malaysia ‘second home’ programme, diplomats said.
In Malaysia, total 9,391 COVID-19 positive cases and 128 deaths were recorded till Saturday, including imported infections through travellers from abroad, according to Malay Mail.
Bangladesh state minister Mohammed Shahriar Alam said expatriate workers who returned from Malaysia on leave would require staying at home till December 31.
The government will remain in touch with the Malaysian authorities for keeping potential travellers to Malaysia updated on any changes in decisions by the authority, he said.
No one should fall for false promises made by the middlemen regarding travel to Malaysia as it would not allow travellers from countries with record of rise in COVID-19 infections, he added.
