The first Hajj flight took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with 415 Bangladeshi pilgrims to Saudi Arabia early Sunday (May 21).

The Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight left the airport at 3:20am. The flight will arrive in Jeddah at 7:20am local time, said a press release. 

Four more Biman flights will leave Dhaka today at different times of the day with Hajj passengers bound for Jeddah.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali MP, Minister of State for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haq Khan MP, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh Isa Bin Yusuf Al Duhailan, Member of Parliament for Dhaka-18 Constituency Habib Hasan, Biman Bangladesh Chairman Mustafa Kamal Uddin, Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry Secretary Md Mokammel Hossain, Civil Aviation Authority Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mofidur Rahman, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Shafiul Azim and other senior officials bid farewell to the pilgrims at the airport.

At this time, the Minister of State for Aviation asked the pilgrims to pray for the continued happiness, peace, prosperity and progress of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Earlier, a ceremony was organised at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on the occasion of the inauguration of Hajj flights.

In the programme, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Tourism said, "Like every year, this year too, all preparations have been made to conduct the Hajj flights with the highest priority. Since 2019, Biman has been operating Hajj flight operations with its own aircraft due to the modernisation of the fleet of Biman Bangladesh Airlines by the prime minister. This year too, Biman will use a total of five aircraft including four Boeing-777 ER and 1 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner for Hajj flights."

"It has reduced the hardships, time wastage and suffering of the pilgrims. Hajj journey has become easy and comfortable. We have always and will continue to strive to ensure that the Hajj pilgrims get the full benefit of this successful and people-friendly diplomatic initiative," the minister added. 

A total of 1,22,221 pilgrims from Bangladesh will go to Saudi Arabia this year.

Out of this, half of the total passengers, 61,111 pilgrims will be transported by Biman. The remaining pilgrims will be transported by Saudia Airlines and Fly Nass.

Biman will operate 162 Hajj flights from 21 May to 22 June in pre-Hajj and 168 in post-Hajj from 2 July to 3 August - totaling 330 flights.

BDST: 1122 HRS, MAY 21, 2023
MN/SMS