Bangladesh veteran Mushfiqur Rahim revealed he is stranded in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after the escalating military conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran brought air travel across the Middle East to a near standstill.
The experienced wicketkeeper-batter had travelled to Makkah to perform Umrah before making his way home to Dhaka, but his return journey was abruptly halted when Emirates flight EK0806, bound for Dubai, was turned back to Jeddah mid-air amid the rapidly deteriorating situation in the region.
In a heartfelt statement, Mushfiqur said, “I came to Makkah a few days ago to perform Umrah, and I was able to complete my pilgrimage. I was heading back to Bangladesh via Dubai this morning, but unfortunately, due to the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, all flights were turned back to Jeddah mid-air. I am now stranded at Jeddah airport along with thousands of other passengers, including many fellow Bangladeshis.”
TENS OF THOUSANDS STRANDED AS AIRSPACE CLOSES
Mushfiqur is among tens of thousands of travellers caught up in the chaos, as regional airspaces began closing following the US and Israeli offensive on Iran launched on Saturday. American President Donald Trump called on the
The Iranian public is to overthrow the Islamic leadership that has governed the nation since 1979, as the strikes sent shockwaves across the globe.
Airlines urged passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport, with some carriers issuing waivers to affected travellers, allowing them to rebook without paying extra fees or higher fares.
ICC MOBILISES AS T20 WORLD CUP PERSONNEL FACE TRAVEL CHAOS
The disruption has also cast a significant shadow over the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which is currently in its final stages across India and Sri Lanka. The tournament, which began on February 7 and concludes on March 8, still has six nations in contention — including co-hosts India. A large number of players, officials, broadcast teams and event staff rely on Gulf hub airports, particularly Dubai, as key transit points for their journeys home.
The ICC moved quickly to address concerns, confirming it is working on alternate flight plans for all those connected to the event. “The safety and well-being of every individual connected to our event is the ICC’s highest priority,” an ICC spokesperson said. “We have already mobilised our travel, logistics and security teams and are working around the clock to ensure that all stakeholders can return home safely.”
The governing body also urged fans to monitor travel advisories closely before undertaking any further international travel.
