Non-essential staffers at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and their family members are returning to India on a voluntary basis through commercial flights, official sources said Wednesday (7 July).

However, all Indian diplomats at the mission are operating from the Bangladesh capital, the said adding the Indian High Commission remains functional, the sources said.  

Air India and IndiGo Wednesday operated special flights to Dhaka, repatriating more than 400 people amid a volatile situation in the turmoil-hit Bangladesh capital.

There is no official confirmation if the two special flights had on board non-essential staffers and their families of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.

A special Air India A321 neo aircraft brought 205 people, 199 adults and six infants, from Dhaka to New Delhi this morning, official sources said.

IndiGo's special flight flew from Dhaka to Kolkata on Tuesday to bring back Indian nationals from Bangladesh, the airline said in a statement.

Air India operated the flight which took off from the national capital without any passengers, at a very short notice, said official sources.

"Following the temporary closure of Dhaka airport, IndiGo operated a special flight 6E 8503 from Dhaka to Kolkata on August 06, 2024. This flight was conducted to bring back Indian nationals from Bangladesh," the airline said in the statement.

Civil Aviation Ministry sources said the IndiGo special flight carried more than 200 passengers from Dhaka to Kolkata.

The carrier also said normal flight operations between India and Dhaka are scheduled to resume Wednesday and it has contacted all concerned customers, providing updates and offering alternative travel arrangements.

IndiGo operates one daily flight from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai to Dhaka and two daily services from Kolkata.

Air India will be commencing its scheduled operations -- two daily flights from the national capital -- to Dhaka from today (Wednesday).

On Tuesday, Air India had cancelled its morning flight but operated the evening flight to Dhaka.

Vistara will also be operating their services to the Bangladesh capital as per schedule. It operates daily flights from Mumbai and three weekly services from Delhi to Dhaka. Vistara and IndiGo had cancelled their Tuesday flights to the Bangladesh capital.