DHAKA, Aug 21, 2017 (BSS)- A total of 90,409 hajj pilgrims left here for Saudi Arabia till this morning while around 36,000 pilgrims are waiting for leaving the country by August 27 to perform Hajj.
“Till 8 am this morning, Biman carried 44,253 pilgrims and Saudia 46,156 pilgrims that totaled 90,409,” Biman’s General Manager (Public Relations) Shakil Meraj told BSS today.
In the next 24 hours from 8 am today to 8 am tomorrow, Meraj said, Biman will operate nine flights including two flights from Chittagong, he added. Biman didn’t cancel any hajj flight today, he said.
The national flag carrier so far cancelled 24 dedicated hajj flights due to scarcity of available passengers due to visa complications.
Biman has already suspended its Dhaka-Doha flight from August 14 to 26 and reduced frequency to other routes including London to operate more aircraft for carrying hajj pilgrims.
Biman is scheduled to operate its pre-hajj flight till August 26 and Saudia till Aug 27.
The number of this year’s intending hajj pilgrims is 1,27198. All necessary papers including visas of 1, 26,498 pilgrims out of this year’s scheduled 1,27,198 intending hajjis have already been completed,” Director of Hajj Camp Saiful Islam said.
The left out number is around 700, he said adding it is normal as every year some intending pilgrims cancel their trips due to illness and other personal grounds.