Dhaka: A total of 50,904 Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia aboard 130 Hajj flights. Director of the Bangladesh Hajj Office, Md Lokman Hossain, confirmed that 130 flights had reached Jeddah by 10 am today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, a hajj bulletin reported that 12 pilgrims have died due to natural causes until yesterday, with 10 deaths occurring in Makkah and two in Medina. The deceased include 10 males and two females. The bulletin also highlighted that a Saudi medical team provided treatment to 21,014 pilgrims, while an IT Helpdesk offered medical services to 13,780 pilgrims till yesterday.
A total of 78,500 people from Bangladesh have been granted permission to perform Hajj this year. The operations are managed by 660 agencies under private management, including 30 lead agencies and 630 coordinating agencies. Airline data reveals that 23,960 pilgrims traveled by 60 flights of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, 18,488 by 48 flights of Saudi Airlines, and 8,456 by 22 flights of Flynas Airlines. The remaining 27,469 pilgrims are expected to arrive gradually through designated airlines.
The inaugural Hajj flight, BG3001, departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on April 17 at 11:57 pm, carrying 418 pilgrims. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the first Hajj flight. Of the total pilgrims, 4,565 will perform Hajj under government management, while 73,935 will do so under private arrangements. The Saudi Embassy in Dhaka has issued a total of 78,373 visas, comprising 4,454 under government management and 73,919 under private management.
Subject to moon sighting, the holy Hajj is expected to take place in Saudi Arabia on May 26. The return flights are scheduled to begin departing from Jeddah on May 30, with the last return Hajj flight on June 30.