Incoming passengers from South Africa and six other countries have to stay in 14-day mandatory institutional quarantine at their expenses at designated hotels from tomorrow (Saturday), said the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh.

The six other countries are Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, where the new potentially more contagious Omicron variant is dominant., added a CAAB notice issued last night.

Additionally, while travelling to Bangladesh from anywhere in the world, passengers must have Covid negative test certificates done using RT PCR machines, within 48 hours of travelling. The time frame was 72 hours before Omicron was detected, the notice stated.

While in quarantine, one Covid test will be conducted on the seventh day of the stay and another after 14 days. The cost of the tests will also have to be borne by the travellers, read the notice.

The travellers will also have to book hotels before boarding the flights. If the Covid test result is positive after seven days, the respective passenger will be sent for isolation, the notice explained.

If the result comes out negative, the individual still will have to stay in quarantine for the remaining seven days at the hotel, it added.

On the 14th day, a Covid-negative report will allow the passenger to go home.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque yesterday announced the 14-day quarantine protocol for passengers arriving from the seven countries. He also warned of stern action against hotel authorities and passengers for breaching the protocols.