The first hajj flight carrying 419 pilgrims left the Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram for Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

Chattogram City Mayor M Rezaul Karim Chowdhury inaugurated the first hajj flight, Airport director Group Captain Taslim Ahmed, UNB reports.

Chairman of Hajj Agencies Association, Bangladesh (HAAB) Chattogram Chapter Shah Alam said Bangladesh Biman will operate 22 dedicated hajj flights from Chattogram to Modinah and Jeddah during the current hajj season.

These flights will carry 10,500 pilgrims and the last flight will leave Chattogram on June 22, he said.

Last year, 11 flights were operated from Chattogram to Jeddah and Modinah, but this year the number has been increased to 22 and six of them will go to Modinah.

Sajal Barua, Chattogram district manager of Biman, said all necessary steps have been taken to send the pilgrims properly and various guidelines have also been given to the concerned in this regard.

"We are trying so that the pilgrims can perform the holy hajj safely and without any hassel," he said.

According to Biman sources, the number of pilgrims from Bangladesh this year is 1,22,211. Of them, half will be carried by Biman and the remaining half by Saudia Airlines and Flynas Airlines. Biman will operate a total of 162 flights to transport the pilgrims.