First Hajj flight leaves for Saudi Arabia with 419 pilgrims tomorrow

The first hajj flight, carrying 419 pilgrims, is scheduled to leave Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Saudi Arabia on tomorrow (Sunday).

"A Biman Bangladesh Airlines will operate the first hajj flight from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Jeddah on Sunday next," State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan said.

Earlier Friday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the Hajj Activities-2022 virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence at Hajj Camp in the capital as the chief guest. Religious Affairs secretary Kazi Enamul Hassan delivered the welcome address.

This year, some 57,585 hajj pilgrims will perform their hajj from Bangladesh, while this year around one million pilgrims from all over the world will perform hajj, the state minister said. 

He said the national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines will begin its first hajj flight at 9am on June 5. This year, the holy Hajj is going to be held on July 08 (depending on the moon sighting).

Faridul said that no country in the world participated in Hajj in the last two years due to Coronavirus, adding, "As the situation improves this year, a limited number of people are able to perform the Hajj. For this I am giving thanks to the Almighty Allah."

He said that a large number of Bangladeshi usually perform the Hajj through approved Hajj agencies, while private agencies also follow the ministry's instructions.

Besides, the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) also plays an important role in this regard, the state minister added.

He said, "We are conducting Hajj activities under the direct supervision of the Prime Minister and with utmost importance. The hajj activities made tremendous progress in the last 13 years, which is appreciated home and abroad."

"We are conducting hajj activities this year according to the Hajj Management Act 2021," Faridul added.