Over 79,000 pilgrims reached Saudi for Hajj till today
The last flight to carrying the pilgrims is scheduled to reach Saudi Arabia on 31 May
A total of 79,158 Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims have reached Saudi Arabia onboard 204 flights so far since 29 April while the last flight to take off with pilgrims from Dhaka on May 31, officials said today.
"A total of 87,100 Bangladeshis are set to perform the holy hajj this year while 5,200 are to perform the ritual under Bangladesh government arrangements, while private operators would handle the pilgrimage of the 81,900," director of the Hajj office under Religious Affairs Ministry M Lokman Hossain said.
He said three Biman Bangladesh Airlines flights with 1257 hajj pilgrims, one Saudi Airlines flight with 405 pilgrimages and four Flynas Airlines flights with 1224 hajis left or would leave Bangladesh today for Jeddah.
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The last flight to carrying the pilgrims is scheduled to reach Saudi Arabia on 31 May.
The director said the ministry was issuing regular Hajj bulletin with the latest one announcing deaths of 12 pilgrims after reaching Saudi Arabia due to old age or different health grounds in the past several days.
Until now, Biman Bangladesh Airlines so far operated 102 flights, carrying 39,416 pilgrims, Saudi Airlines conducted 75 flights with 28,242 pilgrims and Riyadh-based Flynas Airlines transported 11000 pilgrims on 27 flights.
The Hajj office bulletin said according to the aviation plan Bangladesh Airlines would operate 118 hajj flights, Saudi Airlines 80 flights and Flynas Airlines 34 flights for the pilgrims.
According to the officials, remaining 7799 pilgrims will reach Saudi Arabia for Hajj by 31 May.
The first Hajj flight with 398 Hajj pilgrims departed from Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on 29 April.
Return flights with pilgrims are set to commence on June 10 and conclude on 10 July.
