61,724 Bangladeshis reach Saudi Arabia for Hajj: Official

A total of 61,724 Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims have reached Saudi Arabia onboard 160 flights so far while nine of them passed away sadly due to old age or other health grounds.

“Eight of the deceased are male and one is a female pilgrim,” religious affairs ministry spokesman M Abubakor Siddik said.

He said 87,100 Bangladeshis are set to perform the holy hajj this year while 5,200 are to perform the ritual under Bangladesh government arrangements while private operators would handle the pilgrimage of the 81,900.

Siddik said three Biman Bangladesh Airlines flights with 1233 hajj pilgrims and one Saudi Airlines flight with 327 pilgrimages today left or leaving Bangladesh for Saudi Arabia.

The last flight to carrying the pilgrims is scheduled to reach Saudi Arabia on 31 May.

As outlined in the latest Hajj bulletin, Biman Bangladesh Airlines so far operated 83 flights, carrying 31,513 pilgrims, Saudi Airlines conducted 56 flights with 21,583 pilgrims and Riyadh-based Flynas Airlines transported 8,628 pilgrims on 21 flights. According to the officials so far 5,085 pilgrims under the government's Hajj programme and 81,871 under private arrangements received Saudi Arabian visas for performing Hajj this year.

The first Hajj flight departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on 29 April.

The Hajj this year is expected to take place on 5 June, depending on the sighting of the moon.

Return flights for Bangladeshi pilgrims are set to commence on 10 June and conclude on 10 July.