Air Asia fined for carrying Covid-19 positive passenger

A mobile court at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport yesterday fined Air Asia, a Malaysia-based budget airlines, Tk 1 lakh for carrying an identified Covid-19 positive passenger.

"We were astonished when we identified the passenger, having a Covid-19 positive certificate with him," Ahmed Zamil, an executive magistrate at the airport, told The Daily Star.

He said the certificate clearly shows in block letters that the passenger was detected with Covid-19. But nobody identified the passenger at any of the check points at Kuala Lumpur Airport before he boarded the aircraft.

Ahmed Zamil also said the airlines -- with 98 passengers on board -- landed in Dhaka in the early hours of yesterday.

The Bangladeshi expatriate worker was sent to a hospital, he said, adding that other passengers were sent to home quarantine.

A representative of Air Asia in Dhaka said they have already drawn the attention of their management to take action against those responsible.

Ahmed Zamil said it's also unexpected on part of the Bangladeshi passenger that he boarded the aircraft despite testing positive.