An aircraft of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying 415 hajj pilgrims left Dhaka today (May 21, 2023) for Saudi Arabia -- the first hajj flight this year. The flight BG-3001 took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 3:20 am and was scheduled to land in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at 7:20 am (local time). Four more flights of Biman Bangladesh Airlines are scheduled to depart Dhaka with hajj pilgrims for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) today. State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali, State Minister for Religion Md Faridul Haque Khan, lawmaker Habib Hasan, Biman Governing Council Chairman Mustafa Kamal Uddin, and KSA Ambassador to Bangladesh Issa Bin Youssef Al-Dahilan, among others, saw off the hajj pilgrims at Dhaka airport. Read more: PM inaugurates Hajj programme-2023 Earlier, at an event organized to mark the first hajj flight, at the airport, State Minister Mahbub sought prayers from the pilgrims for happiness, peace, prosperity, and advancement of the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He said all-out preparations have been taken to ensure the smooth operation of hajj flights like the past years. This year, Biman Bangladesh Airlines authorities will carry 61,111 hajj pilgrims out of total 1, 22,221 with its five aircraft. The rest will be carried by the Saudia and Flynas.   Lauding the prime minister’s diplomatic success, the state minister said the immigration of the hajj passengers at the KSA end is being completed in Dhaka under the ‘Road to Makkah Initiative’.   He said several initiatives were taken to ease sufferings of the pilgrims and no passenger has been subjected to harassment for booking tickets after initiating a new rule and enhanced monitoring since 2019. The Biman authorities concerned will conduct 162 pre-hajj flights from May 21 to June 22, and 168 post-hajj flights from July 2 to August 3 this year. Like last year, Biman will operate flights from Chattogram and Sylhet to Jeddah and Madinah along with Dhaka this year. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the hajj programme on May 19. Read more: Pray that Bangladesh is safe from man-made or natural disasters: PM to Hajj pilgrims

The cost for performing hajj under government management has increased by Tk 1.61 lakh this year as it has been fixed at Tk 6,83,018 for each pilgrim against last year’s Tk 5,21,15. The decision was taken at a meeting of the executive committee on hajj management with State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan in the chair on Wednesday. Talking to reporters the minister said last year, the government announced two hajj packages for hajj—Package-1 at Tk 5,86,340 and package-2 at Tk 5,21,150--- but his year only one package has been announced. The private hajj agencies will fix their packages in coordination with the government packages and it will be announced on Thursday, he said. Under private management, the pilgrims paid minimum Tk 5,22,744 for performing hajj last year. About the raising the hajj package cost, the minister said this year one Riyal is available at Tk 30 which was Tk 21 last year. Also read: Over 1.27 lakh Bangladeshis likely to perform Hajj this year, Deal with KSA on Jan 9 Faridul said this year the government has fixed the plane fare at Tk 1, 97,797 and the price has been increased due to global economic crisis. Last year, the plane fare was Tk 1.40 lakh. Like the previous year, three airlines –Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Saudia Airlines and National Airlines will carry the hajj pilgrims, he said. Hajj-2023 will be held on 9th day of Zilhaj (June 28) depending on moon sighting. The government signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia over hajj on January 9. According to the agreement, 15,000 people will be able to go to Hajj under government management while 1,12,198 can go under private management. Biman Bangladesh Airlines will carry 50 percent passengers while Saudia Airlines will carry 50 percent passengers. Besides, the age limit for Hajj pilgrims during the pandemic has been lifted by the Saudi government – paving the way for people over 65 to go for the significant pilgrimage. According to the ‘Route to Mecca initiative’ deal, all hajj pilgrims will complete their pre-arrival immigration in Dhaka. In case of Covid vulnerable situation, the Saudi authorities can take a decision about the number of the pilgrimage. This year, 70 percent Bangladeshi pilgrims will go through Jeddah Airport while the rest 30 percent will go through Madinah airport. In 2019, a total of 1,27, 198 pilgrims performed hajj from Bangladesh. Read More: 1918 pilgrims perform hajj at government's cost since 2014: State Minister

The first dedicated Hajj flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines from Sylhet left Osmani International Airport Tuesday morning. The flight BG-3131 with 419 pilgrims on board departed the airport at 10:00 am and is scheduled to reach Jeddah at 01:30 pm (local time), said a Biman press release. Read:2,415 more Bangladeshis can perform Hajj this year A total of 60,000 people are going to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia(KSA) from Bangladesh to perform the hajj this year. Among them, 50 percent of the total hajj pilgrims will be transported by Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ 67 dedicated flights including two from Sylhet.

The first hajj flight from Bangladesh has left the country around 9:00am on Sunday. The flight operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines was carrying 410 hajj pilgrims and was about to reach Jeddah around 12:45pm today. State Minister for the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali MP, State Minister for the Ministry of Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan MP, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Sazzadul Hasan, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mokammel Hossain, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Air Vice Marshall Md Mafidur Rahman, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Dr Abu Saleh Mostofa Kamal and other officials were present at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport(HSIA) and bid farewell to the hajj performers. Also read: First hajj flight from Bangladesh to leave Sunday A total of 57,585 people are going to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia(KSA) from Bangladesh to perform hajj this year. Among them, a total of 28,793 hajj pilgrims, which is almost 50 percent of the total hajj pilgrims, will be transported by Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ flights. Biman will operate a total of 130 flights carrying hajj pilgrims this year, among which 65 flights will be operated between June 5-July 3 as pre-hajj flights and another 65 flights will be operated between July 14- August 13 as post-hajj flights. Also read: Hajj cost goes up by Tk 59,000 The Hajj Programme-2022 was inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last Friday.

The first hajj flight from Bangladesh carrying 419 pilgrims slated to depart for Saudi Arabia on Sunday As the Coronavirus situation has improved a bit this year, the Holy Hajj is going to be held on July 08 depending on the moon sighting with participation of one million pilgrims from all over the world. Of them, 57,585 hajj pilgrims will attend from Bangladesh. Also read: Hajj cost goes up by Tk 59,000 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday inaugurated the Hajj Programme-2022 (1443 Hijri) urging everyone to uphold the dignity of Islam, the religion of peace. She asked the pilgrims to abide by the rules and laws of Saudi Arabia while performing their hajj rituals there. Biman will carry 31,000 pilgrims through 75 dedicated flights, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism. Pilgrims will have to spend minimum TK 5,21,150 to perform hajj this year. This year, the government has fixed Tk 1.40 lakh as plane fare. Hajj is open to those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and are under the age of 65, added the statement. Pilgrims travelling from abroad will also need to have a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before their departure for Saudi Arabia, the statement added. Also read: First hajj flight from Bangladesh rescheduled for June 5 Last year, 58,745 pilgrims performed Hajj in the world because of the COVID-19 pandemic Before the Covid-19 pandemic, 127,198 pilgrims from Bangladesh performed hajj in 2019. Before the pandemic, some 2.5 million people used to travel every year to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.

The first hajj flight from Bangladesh slated to depart on May 31 has been rescheduled for June 5, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has said. Read: Hajj pilgrims must submit Covid-negative report before journey According to its notification, the first hajj flight from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has been delayed to ensure completion of pre-arrival immigration formalities of pilgrims in Dhaka. “The Saudi Arabian authority has informed that its 40-member team of Road to Makkah Initiative with necessary devices for pre-arrival immigration will not be able to reach Dhaka before June 2 . As it will also take a few days to install the devices at the airport, the Ministry has decided to start the hajj flight from June 5,” it said. Read: HAAB announces private Hajj package for 2022, Minimum cost fixed at 4,63,000 The Ministry has also asked all the authorities concerned in Bangladesh to make necessary arrangements to begin the flights on the rescheduled date.

Flights carrying Bangladeshi pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj will begin on May 31, said the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry. This year, the government has fixed Tk 1.40 lakh as plane fare.  Also read: People aged above 65 can’t perform Hajj this year: State Minister Biman will carry 31,000 pilgrims through 75 dedicated flights, said State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali while talking to reporters after attending a meeting on hajj management at the secretariat. This year, a total of 57,856 pilgrims will be able to perform Hajj from Bangladesh.   The government has taken necessary preparations to ensure smooth and safe hajj for the pilgrims, said State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan recently. Earlier, Saudi Arabia raised the number of Hajj pilgrims from inside and outside the kingdom to one million in 2022, authorities announced in a statement on April 9. Hajj is open to those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and are under the age of 65, added the statement. Also read: All preparations taken to ensure smooth hajj management: State Minister Pilgrims travelling from abroad will also need to have a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before their departure for Saudi Arabia, the statement added. Last year, 58,745 pilgrims performed Hajj in the world because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, some 2.5 million people used to travel every year to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.