Staff Reporter :
The first Hajj flight, carrying 418 Bangladeshi pilgrims, left the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Jeddah of Saudi Arabia on Sunday morning.
The flight ‘BG-1011’ of Biman Bangladesh Airlines departed from the airport at 8:35 am. Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon, Religious Affairs Minister Matiur Rahman and high officials of the ministries concerned were present at the airport to see off the Hajj pilgrims. A special munajat was also offered before departure of the flight.
Two other flights, carrying 838 Hajj pilgrims, also left for Jeddah in the afternoon and at night. The flight ‘BG-3011’ took off at 2:35 pm carrying 419 pilgrims, while ‘BG-5011’ took off at 8:35 pm carrying 419 other pilgrims. Besides, regular Jeddah-bound flight ‘BG-0035’ was also set to carry other Hajj pilgrims. The flight was scheduled to depart the airport at 11:59 pm.
Officials of Biman Bangladesh Airlines said that the Hajj flights would also be operated from Chittagong and Sylhet as well.
Earlier, on August 12, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Hajj programme 2015 at the Hajj Camp at Ashkona in the city. The holy Hajj is likely to be performed this year on September 24 subject to moon sighting.
A total of 1,01,758 pilgrims from Bangladesh will perform the Hajj this year. The number of Bangladeshi pilgrims was 98,762 last year.
Biman will carry half of the Hajj passengers, while Saudi Airlines the remaining ones. The Hajj flights will continue until September 17. The return Hajj flights will start on September 28 and continue till October 28.
