Staff Reporter:
A total of 33,318 Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims have so far reached Saudi Arabia on 84 flights as part of this year’s pilgrimage operations, officials said yesterday.
According to Director of the Bangladesh Hajj Office Md Lokman Hossain, 84 flights had landed at Jed-dah by 10 am yesterday.
Airline-wise data show that 14,069 pilgrims travelled on 35 flights operated by Biman Bangladesh Air-lines, 12,114 on 31 flights of Saudi Arabian Airlines, and 7,135 on 18 flights of Saudi-based Flynas Airlines.
The official said the remaining 44,978 pilgrims will reach Saudi Arabia gradually on scheduled flights.
The first Hajj flight (BG3001), carrying 418 pilgrims, departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on April 17 at 11:57pm for King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. The flight was inaugurated by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
He added that a total of 78,296 pilgrims received Hajj visas from the Saudi Arabian Embassy till Thurs-day. Of them, 4,419 pilgrims are under government management and 73,877 under private arrange-ments.
According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, 78,500 pilgrims from Bangladesh are expected to per-form Hajj this year, including 4,565 under government management and 73,935 under private arrange-ments.
Around 660 agencies, including 30 lead agencies and 630 coordinating agencies, are involved in manag-ing Hajj operations.
Meanwhile, five more flights are scheduled to depart Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport yesterday for Saudi Arabia.
Subject to moon sighting, the holy Hajj is expected to be held on May 26 in Saudi Arabia.
