Dhaka, Aug 27 – The first return Hajj flight of Saudi Arabia Airlines landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 3:19 am on early Monday.
The flight SV 802, which carried 403 hajis on its first return journey, was scheduled to land at 2:00 am but was delayed for one and half hours.
Besides, the first return Hajj flight BG-4012 of Bangladesh Biman Airlines is likely to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10:10 pm on Monday.
“We have completed all the preparations to receive hajis at the airport—so that Hajis can go their respective destinations smoothly after arrival,” Shakil Meraj, general manager (public relation) of Biman told this correspondent yesterday.
According to sources, Hajis were delighted to land home without any hassle after ending holy Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
“The highest numbers of pilgrims went to Saudi Arabia for performing Hajj this year from Bangladesh with the help of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB). The HAAB is satisfied to implement the government’s plan for sending highest numbers of pilgrims,” Shahadat Hossain Taslim, secretary general of HAAB told The Independent over the phone from Makkah.
Expressing his regret for dropping some pilgrims, he said, adding, “some pilgrims have failed to perform Hajj this year because of some agency owner’s negligence. Despite some mismanagement—our achievement is good compared to last year.”
Some agency owners didn’t deposit money for visa despite repeated reminders and strong monitoring by HAAB and religious affairs ministry, Taslim added.
He further said that the ministry will look after the matter against the involved agency owners who failed to send pilgrims this year.
However, there are allegations against some agency owners for mismanagement and irregularities which caused heavy sufferings to Hajis after returning to Makkah from Mina and many stayed on the streets at night.
However, Biman Bangladesh Airlines authority had cancelled 20 scheduled flights due to the shortage of pilgrims this year.
According to Dhaka and Makkah Hajj office, this year a total of 1,27,298 people including members of hajj management went to Saudi Arabia through 371 hajj flights to perform Hajj.
A total of 1.20 lakh hajj pilgrims went to perform Hajj through 528 agencies approved by the Ministry of Religious Affairs. – Staff Reporter
