Hajj flights begin on July 24

The first Hajj flight for pilgrims is set to take off on July 24.

A total of 1, 27,198 pilgrims will perform the annual ritual this year from Bangladesh.

The first Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight will leave Hazrat Shahjajal International Airport for King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah with 419 passengers on board at 7:55am.

The last Hajj flight to leave Dhaka is on August 26 at 9:05am, Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon told reporters following an inter-ministerial meeting at the Secretariat yesterday.

The Hajj and Eid-ul-Azha are likely to be observed on the first week of September.

Menon also added that any irregularities in selling of air tickets or other matters related to Hajj would not be tolerated. The ministry will take stern actions if any individual or group is found mishandling ticket sales, he said. 

"We have taken all-out preparation to make our Hajj flights operate smoothly and safely," Menon said.

Biman, for the first time, is issuing boarding passes for both pre-Hajj and post-Hajj flights before the pilgrims' departure from Bangladesh. It will reduce the hassles pilgrims face on their way back home.

Also for the first time, Biman flights will operate directly from Dhaka to Madina, along with regular Dhaka-Jeddah flights, the minister said.

Biman flights will carry 63,599, passengers which is about half of the number of Hajj pilgrims. The rest will be flown by Saudi Airlines.

Biman's post hajj flights will begin from September 6 and end on October 5.

Some 4,230 pilgrims would perform hajj this year under government management.

A total of 177, flights including, 144 dedicated hajj flights will take the pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate Hajj activities on July 22 at Ashkona Hajj office.

In 2016, a total of 1, 01,758 Bangladeshis performed Hajj.

Leaders of Hajj Agencies' Association of Bangladesh, representatives of Saudi Arabian Airlines, officials of religious affairs ministry and Biman Bangladesh Airlines, among others, attended the meeting.