Dhaka: A total of 61,724 Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims have reached Saudi Arabia onboard 160 flights so far while nine of them passed away sadly due to old age or other health grounds. ‘Eight of the deceased are male and one is a female pilgrim,’ religious affairs ministry spokesman M Abubakor Siddik said.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, 87,100 Bangladeshis are set to perform the holy Hajj this year while 5,200 are to perform the ritual under Bangladesh government arrangements, and private operators would handle the pilgrimage of the remaining 81,900. Siddik noted that three Biman Bangladesh Airlines flights with 1,233 Hajj pilgrims and one Saudi Airlines flight with 327 pilgrims have either left or are leaving Bangladesh for Saudi Arabia today.
The last flight carrying the pilgrims is scheduled to reach Saudi Arabia on May 31. As outlined in the latest Hajj bulletin, Biman Bangladesh Airlines has so far operated 83 flights, carrying 31,513 pilgrims, Saudi Airlines conducted 56 flights with 21,583 pilgrims, and Riyadh-based Flynas Airlines transported 8,628 pilgrims on 21 flights.
So far, 5,085 pilgrims under the government’s Hajj programme and 81,871 under private arrangements have received Saudi Arabian visas for performing Hajj this year. The first Hajj flight departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on April 29.
The Hajj this year is expected to take place on June 5, depending on the sighting of the moon. Return flights for Bangladeshi pilgrims are set to commence on June 10 and conclude on July 10.