Hajj flight closed, 127103 pilgrims now in Saudi Arabia

Senior Correspondent: Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Kahn Menon announced that the pre-hajj flight has been closed today as all the pilgrims with visa have already left the country for Jeddha to perform the Holy Hajj.

The minister made the announcement while talking to journalists at a press briefing at his ministry on Monday.

"I would like to announce with relief that we have been able to send all aspirant pilgrims with visa to Jeddha and we closed our pre-hajj flight operation today after carrying more pilgrims than our target," Menon told the press briefing.

We were in great uncertainty about whether we will be able to send all aspirant pilgrims to Jeddha. The countrymen were also worried about that but at last we have been able to overcome the crisis with the help of all, he said.

The minister said a total of 1,27,103 pilgrims left for Jeddha till today.

"Of them, Biman Bangladesh Airlines carried 64,873 pilgrims and Saudia Airlines carried 62,230," the minister said.

The national flag carrier is supposed to carry 63,125 pilgrims this year, but Biman carried more than its target as the Saudia Airlines fail to fulfill its target of carrying 63,125 intending hajjis, he said.

A total of 397 registered intending pilgrims are not able to go to Saudi Arabia to perform hajj as they failed to obtain visas or air tickets, the minister said.

The national flag carrier closed this year's pre-hajj flights by operating its last flight at 3:00 am today.

risingbd/Dhaka/Aug 28, 2017/Noimuddin/Amirul