Maiden hajj flight reaches Jeddah

The first hajj flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying 418 pilgrims landed at Jeddah safely.

Bangladesh Ambassador in Saudi Arabia Golam Mosih, counsel general, Jeddah, FM Borhan, and high officials of ministry of hajj of Saudi government received the Bangladeshi pilgrims at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah around 11:14 am Soudi local time [BST 2:14pm], Ambassador Mosih told The Daily Star over phone.

Another flight carrying 419 hajj pilgrims also flew for Jeddah around 11:55 am from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, said Shakil Meraj, general manager, public relation, Biman Bangladesh Airlines. 

Earlier in the day, Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon, Religious Affairs Minister Motiur Rahman and high officials of Biman, Civil Aviation of Authority of Bangladesh inaugurated the first hajj flight at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 7.54 am.

In a brief ceremony at the airport, Menon said the government has taken all-out preparations to operate the hajj flight smoothly.

Some 1, 27,198 pilgrims from Bangladesh are set to perform this year's hajj. Biman Bangladesh Airlines will carry 63,599, the half of the total hajj pilgrims and rest of the half will be carried by Saudi Airlines, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia.

The Biman's post hajj flight will start on September 6 and end on October 5.

The national flag carrier will operate 177 pre-hajj flights, 144 dedicated and 33 scheduled and 169 post hajj-flights, 139 dedicated and 30 scheduled.

Bangladesh Hajj Mission in Saudi Arabia has already completed its preparations for ensuring a smoother management for the hajj pilgrims this year, Golam Misih AKM told The Daily Star from Saudi Arabia over phone on Monday.

Several medical teams, for overseeing health issues of the pilgrims, have reached Saudi Arabia last week, he also added.