DE News Desk :
A total of 2,248 Bangladeshi pilgrims departed for Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to perform Hajj as this year’s pilgrimage season gets underway.
According to Md Lokman Hossain, Director (Joint Secretary) of the Hajj Office under the Ministry of Religious Affairs, 1,446 of the pilgrims traveled aboard Biman Bangladesh Airlines, while 802 flew with Saudi Arabian Airlines.
The Hajj Flight-2025 operations were officially inaugurated on April 28 at the Ashkona Hajj Camp in Dhaka by Religious Affairs Adviser A F M Khalid Hossain.
The first flight, operated by Saudia Airlines, left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on April 29.
Pre-Hajj flights will continue until May 31, with return flights scheduled to begin on June 10 following the completion of Hajj rituals.
This year, Bangladesh is sending a total of 87,100 pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with 5,200 traveling under government management and the remaining 81,900 under private arrangements.
In a move to improve services and convenience, a new mobile application has been launched to assist pilgrims with transportation and other essential needs.
Pilgrims are also being provided with pre-paid Hajj cards and mobile SIMs featuring international roaming capabilities.