DHAKA: Nine UK returnees "fled" from a hotel in Bangladesh's Sylhet where they were supposed to quarantine until March 26, but returned a few hours later, according to authorities.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of the Sylhet Metropolitan Police BM Ashrafullah Taher said an investigation was underway to find out how the returness could flee from the Britannia Hotel while three police officials were on duty.
"Action will be taken if any negligence is found on the part of the police or the hotel authority," Taher said.
The nine returnees had started their quarantine at the hotel on March 18.
Hotel authorities found that they were missing from their rooms at around 2 p.m.
"When contacted over the phone, one of them said they went home to see a dying family member and committed to return to the hotel. They came back at night," hotel manager Kawsar Khan said.
On March 18, 152 UK returnees landed at the Sylhet Osmani International Airport.
Of them, 147 were sent to 10 residential hotels in Sylhet following the government's directive and under the supervision of army officers and police.
A total of 35 people were sent to the Britannia Hotel in the city's Ambarkhan area.
As it has emerged that the highly contagious British Covid-19 variant is already circulating in the country, the government made institutional quarantine mandatory for all UK returnees from January 1.