B Mirror Report: Due to continued security tensions and airspace limitations in numerous Middle Eastern countries, 593 international flights have been suspended at two main airports in Bangladesh over the past 15 days, according to airport officials.

According to airport officials, 24 flights at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka and seven international flights at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram were canceled on Saturday.

Officials said the disruption started on February 28, after several Middle Eastern countries including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan  closed or limited their airspace amid rising regional tensions.

At Dhaka airport alone, 477 flights were scrapped between February 28 and March 14, affecting a number of airlines operating routes to major Gulf destinations.

On Saturday, the cancelled services from Dhaka involved several international carriers operating flights to Gulf hubs.

These included services of Kuwait Airways, Air Arabia, Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Jazeera Airways and flydubai, most of which connect Dhaka with cities such as Dubai, Sharjah, Doha, Kuwait and Bahrain.

Meanwhile, authorities at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram said a total of 116 overseas flights have been cancelled since February 28 due to the same regional security situation.

On Saturday alone, seven flights, including those operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, US-Bangla Airlines and SalamAir, were called off.

Despite the disruptions, some flight movements continued at Chattogram airport, with six flights arriving from Middle Eastern destinations and four departing on Saturday.

Airport officials said operations on certain routes, particularly between Chattogram and Sharjah or Dubai, have gradually begun returning to normal as conditions have slightly improved.