The first hajj flight carrying 409 Bangladeshi pilgrims to Saudi Arabia took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital on Wednesday morning.The flight ‘BG-1011’ of Biman Bangladesh Airlines departed from the airport at 7:05am, hajj official Mizanur Rahman told UNB.Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon, Religious Affairs Minister Matiur Rahman and high officials of the two ministries concerned saw the pilgrims off at the airport, he said.Mizanur Rahman also said three more flights of Biman will carry Bangladeshi pilgrims on Wednesday.The national flag carrier will carry 50 percent Hajj pilgrims while Saudi Airlines the remaining 50 percent in several phases.A total of 98,757 Bangladeshi pilgrims will perform hajj this year.Of them, 97,257 will perform hajj under private management while the rest 1,500 under government arrangement.This year, the hajj flights of Biman will continue till September 28 while the return hajj flights of the national flag carrier will begin on October 8 and continue till November 8.Besides, the hajj flights of Saudi Airlines will begin on September 1 and continue till September 30 while the return flights on October 9 and end on November 17.
