Saudi-end immigration of hajj pilgrims at Dhaka airport couldn’t start today

Although the government had said that immigration of hajj pilgrims at the Saudi end will be completed at Dhaka airport from the first day of hajj flight, it has not happened today.

Pilgrims who flew to Saudi Arabia via Biman's first hajj flight this year, raised the issue while State Minister for Civil Aviation, M Mahbub Ali, arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to see them off.

In reply, the junior minister said respective technical delegation of Saudi Arabia were late to reach Dhaka and that's why the immigration of hajj pilgrims couldn't be started.

He assured pilgrims that the immigration formalities at the Saudi end will be completed at Dhaka airport from tomorrow – waiving the need to wait in long lines in Saudi Arabia.

However, hajj pilgrims, who will fly to Saudi Arabia from Sylhet and Chattogram airports, won't get this facility.

Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims will be able to enter Saudi Arabia through a jet-bridge after landing at the airport without any immigration formality.

Pilgrims used to wait for hours at the airport after landing in Saudi Arabia to complete the immigration procedure – causing immense suffering

Earlier in 2019, immigration process of hajj pilgrims was completed on a limited scale from Dhaka instead of Saudi Arabia.

Only two countries – Malaysia and Indonesia – can now complete the immigration process of their pilgrims at their own airports.

Bangladeshi pilgrims will be able to have their immigration procedures completed in Dhaka before departure within a minute which usually takes hours in Saudi Arabia.

Several people who had performed hajj in recent years, said it often takes hours to finish the immigration procedures at airports in Jeddah and Riyadh for Bangladeshi citizens during hajj rush.

Earlier in the morning, the maiden hajj flight carrying 410 hajj pilgrims on board, left Dhaka airport for Saudi Arabia.

State Minister for Civil Aviation Mahbub Ali, state minister for religious affairs Faridul Haque Khan, top officials of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh and Biman went to the airport to see off the pilgrims.

The holy hajj will be held in Saudi Arabia on July 8, subject to the sighting of the moon.

A total of 57,585 Bangladeshis will be able to perform hajj this year.