Staff Reporter :Flights to take Hajj pilgrims from Bangladesh to Saudi Arabia will start from today (Sunday). The authorities of Biman Bangladesh Airlines have completed all the necessary preparations in this regard, sources said. A total of 101,758 pilgrims will travel to Mecca for Hajj from Bangladesh this year. Of them, 10,000 will avail government packages and the rest by private arrangements. Biman will be carrying 51,000 pilgrims by 145 direct flights from Dhaka to Jeddah. The rest of the Hajj pilgrims will travel by Saudi Arabian Airlines, said the Biman officials. Biman Chairman Air Marshal Jamal Uddin Ahmed said that they had already completed all the preparations to operate flights without any hassle. He also said that Hajj flights would end on September 18. Return flights will continue from September 27 until October 28. The first flight carrying 419 passengers is set to take off from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:35 am. Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon will see off the first flight. Two other flights carrying 838 pilgrims will leave for Jeddah in the afternoon and at night. Besides, regular Jeddah-bound flight that leaves at night will also carry the Hajj pilgrims.Several direct flights from Chittagong and Sylhet will also be operated by the Biman. It has made special arrangements in this regard. It will use Boeing-777 aircraft to transport pilgrims as it did last year.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday inaugurated this year’s Hajj programme at Ashkona Hajj Camp in Dhaka. The Hajj will likely be performed on September 24 subject to the sight of the moon.
