First Hajj flight departs with 419 aboard

The first Hajj flight of this year has departed for Saudi Arabia with 419 aboard.

A total of 126,198 Bangladeshi nationals will be allowed to make the pilgrimage this year, according to the agreement with Saudi Arabia. The journeys of 6,198 will be organised by the government, while those of the remaining 120,000 will be organised through private means.

Passengers wait for the first Hajj flight to take off at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Saturday. Photo: Mostafigur Rahman

The first Hajj flight left Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Jeddah at 7:52am on Saturday, said Biman Bangladesh Airlines General Manager Shakil Meraj.

“Three dedicated flights and one scheduled flight will leave for Jeddah today (Saturday),” he told bdnews24.com.

This year the government had called on travel agencies to arrange for the purchase of tickets for Hajj travellers before they received a visa.

There will be no flights this year aside from those approved by Saudi Arabia, said Shakil Meraj.

Passenger board the first of this year’s Hajj flights at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Saturday. Photo: Mostafigur Rahman

The Ministry of Religious Affairs had previously stated that Saudia airlines had issued 46,755 tickets and Biman Bangladesh had issued over 51,000 tickets for Hajj pilgrims.

Biman Bangladesh is to take 64,967 passengers on 187 flights, while Saudia will take 61,831 passengers on 188 flights.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had officially launched the Hajj activities in Ashkona on Jul 11. Hajj flights began on Saturday and will continue until Aug 15.

Return flights will start on Aug 27 and continue until Sept 25.