United News of Bangladesh

A total of nine Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims have died in Saudi Arabia so far, says the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Of the deceased, eight were men and one was woman, according to a bulletin issued by the Hajj Management Portal under the ministry at 3:00am on Tuesday. Among them, seven pilgrims died in Makkah while the remaining two passed away in Madinah. The latest death was reported on Monday when Mahfuza Begum, 52, from Sadar area of Chapainawabganj district died after suffering a cardiac arrest. Meanwhile, a total of 46,514 Bangladeshi pilgrims have so far arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj this year. Of them, 4,071 travelled under the government management, while 42,443 arrived through private Hajj agencies. A total of 118 flights have transported these Bangladeshi pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. Of the total flights, Biman Bangladesh Airlines operated 54, Saudia 43, and Flynas operated 21 flights. Biman transported 21,910 pilgrims, while Saudia carried 16,110 and Flynas transported 8,494 pilgrims, according to the bulletin.

Three more Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims have died in Saudi Arabia's Mecca in the last three days, according to Bangladesh Hajj Management Portal. Fatema Begum, 60, was from Dhaka, Rafiqul Islam, 47, from Sirajganj, and Md Abdul Gafur Miah, 62, from Tangail. Fatema and Rafiqul died Thursday and Gafur Tuesday in Mecca, according to the hajj management portal. Read: Biman's first dedicated Hajj flight from Sylhet leaves for Jeddah The causes of their deaths could not be immediately determined, it added. Nine Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims, including three women, died in Saudi Arabia from June 11 to 30 this year. This year's hajj will start on July 6 and 60,256 Bangladeshis will be able to perform the pilgrimage.