Bangladesh veteran Mushfiqur Rahim has revealed he is stuck in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after the escalating military conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran nearly brought air traffic across the Middle East to a standstill.
The veteran wicketkeeper traveled to Makkah to perform Umrah before heading home to Dhaka, but his return journey was brought to an abrupt halt when Dubai-bound Emirates flight EK0806 was diverted back to Jeddah 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 was able to complete my pilgrimage. This morning I was heading back to Bangladesh via Dubai, but unfortunately due to the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, all flights were diverted back to Jeddah in the air. I, along with many other passengers, are now stuck at Jed Airport. Bangladeshis.”
TEN OF THOUSANDS CLOSED WHEN AIRSPACE CLOSED
Mushfiqur is among tens of thousands of passengers caught in the chaos as regional airspace began to close following the US and Israeli offensive on Iran that began on Saturday. US President Donald Trump called for it
The Iranian public is set to overthrow the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979, as the strikes have sent shockwaves around the world.
Airlines urged passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport, with some carriers granting affected passengers a waiver that allowed them to rebook without paying additional fees or higher fares.
ICC MOBILIZING AS T20 WORLD CUP STAFF FACE TRAVEL CHAOS
The disruption has also cast a significant shadow over the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which is currently in its final stages in India and Sri Lanka. The tournament, which began on February 7 and ends on March 8, still has six nations in action – including co-hosts India. A large number of players, officials, broadcast teams and event staff rely on airports in the Gulf hub, particularly Dubai, as key transit points for their journeys home.
The ICC was quick to respond to the concerns and confirmed it was working on alternative flight plans for everyone connected to the event. “The safety and well-being of every individual associated with our event is the ICC’s highest priority,” an ICC spokesman said. “We have already mobilized our travel, logistics and security teams and are working around the clock to ensure that all parties involved can return home safely.”
The governing body also urged fans to carefully monitor travel advisories before embarking on any further international travel.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
28 Feb 2026 22:08 IST
