Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia welcomed the pilgrims of the first Hajj flight at the Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia today. Photo: PID

DHAKA, April 29, 2025 (BSS) - Biman Bangladesh Airlines this year's first Hajj flight arrived at the Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia carrying 414 pilgrims. 

"The flight BG-3501 departed at 3:00am and landed in Jeddah around 9:00am (Bangladesh time) with 414 Hajj pilgrims on board," Biman General Manager (Public Relations) Tahera Khandaker told BSS this evening. 

Before the Biman's light the first Hajj flight of the season operated by Saudia Airlines, carrying 398 pilgrims, also landed in Saudi Arabia.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Md. Delwar Hossain welcomed the pilgrims at the airport, according to a press release received here from Saudi Arabia. 

Consul General of Bangladesh in Jeddah, Md. Mainul Kabir and Hajj Counselor Md. Zahirul Islam, along with other officials of the mission were present at the airport, among others.

Saudi Civil Aviation Advisor Engineer Mazen Jawahar, Director of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Salman Al Belabi, and other ministry officials were present at the airport to welcome the pilgrims.

Extending the best wishes to the arriving pilgrims, the Bangladesh Ambassador assured that the Bangladesh missions in Saudi Arabia and Hajj Mission would remain at the service of Bangladeshi pilgrims throughout their stay.

The pilgrims expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the warm reception and well-organized arrangements.

Earlier, in Dhaka last evening, Religious Affairs Adviser Dr. A F M Khalid Hossain formally inaugurated the Hajj Flight-2025 operations at the Ashkona Hajj Camp in the capital.

Religious Affairs Secretary AKM Aftab Hossain Pramanik presided over the inaugural ceremony, while Additional Secretary of the Hajj Division Md. Matiul Islam delivered the welcome address.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin, Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Nasreen Jahan, Charg‚ d’affaires of the Saudi Embassy in Dhaka Abdulaziz Fahad M. Al Ibrahim, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Air Vice-Marshal Md. Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan and Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) President Syed Golam Sarwar and Secretary General Farid Ahmad Majumder also spoke as special guests.

A total of 87,100 Bangladeshi pilgrims are expected to travel to Saudi Arabia this year, including 5,200 under government management and 81,900 under private arrangements.

This year, Bangladesh's national flag carrier Biman, along with Saudi Arabian airlines Saudia and Flynas, will operate a total of 232 pre-Hajj flights to transport Bangladeshi pilgrims.

Bangladesh Biman will operate 118 flights carrying 44,307 pilgrims, half of the total pilgrims, while Saudia will run 80 flights transporting 32,740 pilgrims, and Flynas will operate 34 flights for 13,065 pilgrims.

Pre-Hajj flights are scheduled to conclude by May 31, with return flights set to begin on June 10 after completion of the Hajj rituals.

Out of its total 118 outbound Hajj flights, Biman will operate 94 flights to Jeddah and 24 to Madinah, according to a Biman's press release.
  
Among the Jeddah-bound flights, 76 will depart from Dhaka, 14 from Chattogram, and 4 from Sylhet. For Madinah-bound pilgrims, there will be 20 flights from Dhaka, 3 from Chattogram, and 1 from Sylhet.

A total of 108 return flights will bring pilgrims back to the country-74 from Jeddah and 34 from Madinah. These will include 13 government and 95 private flights.

Subject to moon sighting, Hajj is likely to be observed on June 5.

A new mobile application featuring transport and other essential services for pilgrims has been launched this year.

Additionally, pilgrims are being provided with pre-paid Hajj cards and mobile SIM cards with roaming facilities.