Bangladesh, Oct. 16 -- The number of Saudi-bound passengers affected by flight disruptions continued to rise through Thursday, although congestion at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka eased as airlines notified travellers of cancellations and alternative arrangements in advance.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), 103 flights, including 42 direct and 61 transit flights, had been affected by 2:00pm on Thursday. Since Saturday, disruptions had affected 15,779 passengers.

With direct flights to Riyadh suspended, many migrant workers were scrambling to book alternative flights to reach their workplaces without jeopardising their jobs.

Workers whose visas are due to expire within five to sev...