A Correspondent:
Chattogram: The first hajj flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines left Chattogram for Madinah of Saudi Arabia with 398 hajj pilgrims early yesterday.
The Boeing 777 aircraft took off from Hazrat Shah Amanat International Airport around 3.45 am.
Earlier, City Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury inaugurated the hajj flight at the airport and exchanged greetings with the hajj pilgrims.
General Manager of Hazrat Shah Amanat International Airport Commodore Shahadat Hossain presided over the inaugural function.
Rezaul Karim said the government has taken preparations to ensure smooth movement of hajj flights this year. He asked airport authority to take necessary measures to stop any sorts of harassment to the pil-grims.
This year, Biman Bangladesh Airlines will operate 22 direct hajj flights from Chattogram to Saudi Ara-bia. Of these, 20 flights will go to Jeddah directly and two flights will go to Madinah.