First hajj flight leaves Dhaka with 410 pilgrims
The first hajj flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines left Dhaka for Saudi Arabia on Sunday with 410 hajj pilgrims on board.
The Boeing 777ER aircraft took off from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 9:00 am, a press release said.
State Minister for Civil Aviation M Mahbub Ali and State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haque Khan inquired the pilgrims about the problems they faced at the airport before seeing them off.
Although the government earlier said that the immigration of hajj pilgrims at the Saudi end will be completed at Dhaka airport from the first day of hajj flights, it did not happen on Sunday.
However, the Hajj pilgrims, who will fly to Saudi Arabia from Sylhet and Chattogram airports, will not get this facility.
Pilgrims who flew to Saudi Arabia on Biman's first hajj flight raised the issue with Mahbub Ali when he arrived at the HSIA to see them off.
In response, the minister said the respective technical team of Saudi Arabia was late in reaching Dhaka. That is why the immigration formalities of hajj pilgrims could not be started.
He assured the pilgrims that the immigration formalities at the Saudi end will be completed at Dhaka airport from tomorrow – reducing the waiting time in the queue in Saudi Arabia.
Pilgrims used to wait for hours at the airport after landing in Saudi Arabia to complete the immigration procedure causing huge suffering.
This year, a total of 57,585 Bangladeshis will be able to perform the hajj which is likely to be held on 8 July subject to the sighting of the moon.
Of them, 4,000 will perform hajj under government management while the rest under private hajj agencies.
Biman will operate 130 dedicated flights with 65 round trips to carry 29,000 pilgrims by three Boeing 777ER aircraft.
Saudia Airlines and Flynas will carry the rest of the pilgrims.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the hajj programme on Friday.
The largest annual Muslim congregation was held on a limited scale in the last two years.
