ZCZC
BSS-47
HAJJ-PILGRIM-SAUDI
1,26,701 pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia for Hajj
DHAKA, Aug 06, 2019 (BSS) – A total of 1,26,701 pilgrims have so far arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to perform Hajj rituals from Bangladesh.
“A total of 40 pilgrims left Dhaka boarding on the last Hajj flight of Saudi Air Lines this afternoon… As a result, the number of hajj pilgrims stands at 1,26,701,” a senior information officer of Religious Affairs Ministry told BSS.
The pilgrims were carried by 364 flights of Biman Airlines under the government management and Saudi Air Lines under private management, he added.
He also said about 222 persons did not go to KSA for performing Hajj this year despite having their visas.
Besides, Religious Affair Secretary Md Anisur Rahman and Joint Secretary (Hajj) Abul Barkat Mohammad Amin Ullah arrived in Saudi Arabia on August 5 to perform the holy hajj.
A total of 38 Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims died in Saudi Arabia as of Tuesday.
Of them, 31 hajj pilgrims died in Makkah, six in Medina and one in Jeddah.
Biman Airlines will start its post-hajj flight activities from August 17 next and continue till September 15.
BSS/TRANS/MAR/SRH/MRU/2120HRS