Staff Reporter:
A total of 369 pilgrims returned home on Tuesday morning aboard the first Hajj return flight of 2025, marking the beginning of the month-long repatriation of Bangladeshi pilgrims from Saudi Arabia after the successful completion of their holy pilgrimage.
The pilgrims arrived at 10:54AM at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) on a Saudia Airlines flight SV-3803.
Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Air Vice-Marshal Md Manzur Kabir Bhuiyan greeted the returning pilgrims with flowers at the boarding bridge, expressing appreciation for their safe journey and successful completion of Hajj.
According to the airport authority, more than 2,500 pilgrims are expected to arrive on Tuesday by seven scheduled return flights.
The final return flight is set to land on 11 July, completing the repatriation of all Bangladeshi pilgrims.
To manage this large-scale operation, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Saudia Airlines, and Flynas will operate multiple daily flights throughout June and July, bringing back over 85,000 pilgrims.
Authorities have taken comprehensive measures at the airport to ensure a smooth and secure arrival process for the pilgrims, said the HSIA authority.
The special arrangements include deployment of AVSEC personnel to oversee movement and security while Ansar members will guide pilgrims with “Follow Me Placards” from the arrival gates and dedicated immigration counters supervised by the Immigration Police and Special Branch.
Luggage belts 5, 6, 7, and 8 designated exclusively for Hajj returnees, with on-site assistance Customs clearance through Green Channel-2 for expedited processing Distribution of Zamzam water managed by Biman Bangladesh Airlines at the Canopy-2.
Besides, a designated driveway for the transport of pilgrims by the Armed Police Battalion (APBN).
Earlier, the Hajj flight operation began on 29 April 2025, and the last outbound Hajj flight departed on 1 June 2025, with a total of 220 flights transporting 85,302 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
