Biman on Tuesday got permission from the Saudi Arabian authorities to operate 15 extra hajj flights, which paved the way for at least 5,400 people who were uncertain about performing their hajj.
After launching this year’s hajj flights on August 4, Biman had to cancel at least 15 flights due to shortage of hajjis. Rest of the flights had approximately 600 unoccupied seats each.
However, Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh and the Religious Affairs Ministry blame each-other for their’irresponsibility’ that left many intended hajjis unable to fly to Saudi Arab as Biman had to arrange extra slots.
The situation aggregated as several hundred hajjis, who have managed to get visas, were yet to fly since they could not get tickets.
This year, a total of 1,01,758 Bangladeshis are expected to perform hajj.
Earlier, Saudi civil aviation authority granted 112 slots to Biman to carry over 50,500 hajjis but cancellation of 15 flights caused concerns for a number of hajjis.
Saudi civil aviation authority granted 112 slots to Biman to carry over 50,500 hajjis but cancellation of 15 flights caused concerns.
Biman so far carried 24,307 hajjis to Jeddah and was hoping to carry the rest of the hajjis using the extra hajj flights within the last date, September 5.
Meanwhile, A Biman official said if allocated slots wont seem enough to send all hajjis to Jeddah, they would still be able to send another 500 to 600 hajjis to Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, the frustrated intended pilgrims on Tuesday formed a human chain and held a protest rally in Trishal of Mymensingh as their hajj flights were rescheduled for several times by their agents.
A protest rally was also held memorandums was submitted to the prime minister and minister for religious affairs through Trishal upazila nirbahi officer.
