Expatriate workers with smart cards to pay Tk300 for Covid-19 test
The previous fee for pre-travel Covid-19 test was Tk1,500
The government has re-set the Covid-19 sample test fee at Tk300 for foreign-bound expatriate workers with smart cards.
The health services division of the health and family welfare ministry issued a notification in this regard on 24 December.
Migrant workers travelling overseas had to pay a fee of Tk1,500 for coronavirus sample test.
According to the notification signed by Bilkis Begum, deputy secretary of the Health Services Division of the ministry, the fee for the Covid-19 sample test has been re-fixed at Tk300 (from the previous Tk1,500)for the expatriate workers travelling overseas.
However, only holders of smart cards issued by the Expatriate Welfare and Overseas EmploymentMinistry-issued smart card will be able to avail this facility at all government hospitals. The order will be effective immediately, the notification added.
The coronavirus test for passengers traveling from Bangladesh started on 20 July, for a Tk3,500fee.In August, the government reduced the fee to Tk1,500.
Coronavirus was initially tested exclusively at government healthcare institutions. On 20 October, the government allowed 10 private hospitals to administer coronavirus tests on foreign-bound passengers, charging a fee of Tk3,500.
On 24 December, the government allowed 21 more healthcare providers to administer these tests on outbound passengers and reduced thefee from Tk3,500 to Tk3,000.