The national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines' first Hajj flight of this year left Dhaka for Jeddah with a total of 415 passengers onboard today.

A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 3:20am on Sunday (21 May). The flight will arrive in Jeddah at 7:20am local time, said a press release.

Four more Biman flights will leave Dhaka today at different times of the day with Hajj passengers bound for Jeddah.

At the departure of the first Hajj flight of this year, Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali MP, Minister of State for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haq Khan MP, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh Isa Bin Yusuf Al Duhailan, Member of Parliament for Dhaka-18 Constituency Habib Hasan, Biman Bangladesh Chairman Mustafa Kamal Uddin, Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry Secretary Md Mokammel Hossain, Civil Aviation Authority Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mofidur Rahman, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Shafiul Azim and other senior officials bid farewell to the pilgrims at the airport.

At this time, the Minister of State for Aviation asked the pilgrims to pray for for the continued happiness, peace, prosperity and progress of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Earlier, in a ceremony organised at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on the occasion of the inauguration of Hajj flights, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Tourism said, "Like every year, this year too, all preparations have been made to conduct the Hajj flights with the highest priority. Since 2019, Biman has been operating Hajj flight operations with its own aircraft due to the modernisation of the fleet of Biman Bangladesh Airlines by the prime minister. This year too, Biman will use a total of five aircraft including fout Boeing-777 ER and 1 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner for Hajj flights."

He also said that due to the successful diplomatic efforts of the prime minister, the immigration of the Saudi Arabian part of the pilgrims under the "Road to Makkah Initiative" is being completed at the airport in Dhaka since 2019. Even after reaching Saudi Arabia, their luggage is also delivered to the designated accommodation.

"It has reduced the hardships, time wastage and suffering of the pilgrims. Hajj journey has become easy and comfortable. We have always and will continue to strive to ensure that the Hajj pilgrims get the full benefit of this successful and people-friendly diplomatic initiative," the minister added.

"Since 2019, due to the introduction of new rules and increased monitoring in the sale of Hajj tickets, no Hajj pilgrims have had to face any kind of harassment with airline tickets since then. Inshallah, they will not face any problems with tickets this time too. We are constantly and intensively monitoring all aspects of Hajj transportation. I wish for the sincere cooperation of the pilgrims and all participants to successfully complete all Hajj transport activities," he furthered.

A total of 1,22,221 pilgrims from Bangladesh will go to Saudi Arabia this year.

Out of this, half of the total passengers, 61,111 pilgrims will be transported by Biman. The remaining pilgrims will be transported by Saudia Airlines and Fly Nass.

Biman will operate 162 Hajj flights from 21 May to 22 June in pre-Hajj and 168 in post-Hajj from 2 July to 3 August -  totaling 330 flights.

Like last year, Biman will operate flights from Dhaka to Jeddah and Madinah and from Chittagong and Sylhet to Jeddah and Madinah.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Hajj programme on Friday (19 May).