At least 5,000 pilgrims from Bangladesh will not be able to perform Hajj this year as Hajj agencies failed to confirm their visas and plane tickets in time.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has to incur loss as 10 Hajj flights were cancelled so far, read a press release issued last night quoting Tasmina Akhter, assistant manager of public relations of the national airliner.
The Biman authorities instructed that, from now on, all the Hajj agencies will have to confirm the visas and plane tickets 72 hours before the day of travelling, Tasmina Akhter said.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Abdullah, secretary general of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (Haab), today blamed the government for this situation.
Haab will hold a press briefing in this regard at its Paltan headquarters in Dhaka today.
Hajj flights of Bangladesh Biman began August 4 and since then around 15, 000 pilgrims went to Saudi Arab, the press release said.
Biman Bangladesh is expected to operate 144 Hajj flights while Saudia Airlines operate 107 flights from Bangladesh, said a press release of the civil aviation ministry.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Saudi Arabian Airlines have been selected by the government for carrying the Hajj pilgrims this year.
Both airlines will carry equal number of passengers and maximum luggage allowance for each passenger will be 46 kilograms.
A total of 1,01,758 Bangladeshis are expected to perform Hajj this year. Only 10,000 of them would perform Hajj under government management and the remaining 91,758 under private managements.
The outgoing flights will continue till September 5 and the return flights will begin on September 17 and end on October 16. The holy Hajj is likely to be held on September 12, subject to sighting of the moon.
On August 3, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated Hajj 2016 activities through a programme in city’s Askona Hajj Camp.
Thedailystar
