Hajj flights to Saudi Arabia for Bangladeshi pilgrims will begin from August 4, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon said today.

"The flights will continue till September 5. The return flights will begin from September 17 and continue till October 16," he told reporters after attending at an inter-ministerial meeting that discussed this year's Hajj management.

The hajj, largest religious congregation for Muslims, may be held in September 12.

Around 1,01,758 Bangladeshi pilgrims will perform the Hajj this year. Of them, 10,000 pilgrims will go to Hajj under the government management, while the rest under the private management.

The government on January 11 announced two Hajj packages -- Tk 3,05,000 as minimum cost and Tk 3,60,000 as maximum cost -- for performing the Hajj under the government management.

However, each Hajj pilgrim will have to pay minimum Tk 3.05 lakh for performing the holy ritual under private management this year, announced the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (Haab).