CHATTOGRAM, July 22, 2018 (BSS) – This year’s first hajj flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines from here left Hazrat Shah Amanat International Airport for Madina, Saudi Arabia at 3.30 pm carrying 405 Bangladeshi pilgrims today.
Managing Director and CEO of Biman Bangladesh Airlines A M Mosaddique Ahmed inaugurated the first hajj flight and inquired well being of the pilgrims.
At a briefing to journalists at airport conference room, the Biman CEO said Biman will operate nine dedicated hajj flights from Chattogram this year. Of these, four will be direct flight to Medina and five to Jeddah.
Apart from dedicated hajj flight, the national flag carrier will carry pilgrims from Chattogram to Saudi Arabia through 14 scheduled flights.
This year, there are 9,887 registered hajj pilgrims from Chattogram.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines will carry 63,599 Hajj pilgrims, half of the total 1,27,198 pilgrims of this year from all over the country.
Biman’s General Manager (PR) Shakil Meraj said till 8 am today, Biman carried 20, 391 pilgrims through 43 dedicated and 8 scheduled flights to Saudi Arabia while Saudia Airlines carried 19, 681 pilgrims.
In two months, Biman will operate 359 hajj flights including 298 dedicated and 61 scheduled flights from Dhaka, Chattagram and Sylhet.
The national flag carrier will operate 187 pre-Hajj flights (155 dedicated and 32 scheduled) till August 15 and 172 post Hajj flights (143 dedicated and 29 scheduled) from August 27 to September 25.
Of the total hajj pilgrims, 7,198 will perform hajj under government management, they added. Saudi Arabian Airlines will carry rest of the pilgrims.