Under the agreement signed between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia on January 9, a total of 1,27,198 Bangladeshis will be able to perform hajj in 2023.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has decided to operate hajj flights with its own aircraft this year as well, instead of taking planes on lease.
The decision was taken during the national flag carrier’s 283rd board meeting held recently, based on positive experience from operating last year’s hajj flights, sources in Biman told The Daily Star.
Top officials of the national airline, however, said the number of aircraft that will be used and ticket price for hajj passengers are yet to be finalised.
In 2022, Biman operated hajj flights with its own aircraft. The fare for each pilgrim was fixed at Tk 1,40,000, and 130 flights were operated to carry the pilgrims.
The airline used its four Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to operate hajj and regular flights to Saudi Arabia last year.
Biman Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Shafiul Azim recently told The Daily Star that a committee is working to determine how to smoothly operate hajj flights.
Meanwhile, Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) has called upon the Saudi government to reduce the hardship of pilgrims through proper management.
The government is likely to start the flights in the last week of May. The hajj agreement between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia was signed on January 9.
Under the agreement, a total of 1,27,198 Bangladeshis will be able to perform hajj in 2023.
Besides, US-Bangla Airlines, a private airline of the country, has plans to operate flights to Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam from next June.
Kamrul Islam, general manager (public relations) of US-Bangla, said the airline has plans to operate hajj and umrah flights. “But our first target is to operate regular flights to Saudi Arabia.”
“Later, we will try to get permission from the General Authority of the Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, and the civil aviation and tourism ministry to operate hajj flights,” he added.
According to the religious affairs ministry, the quota of hajj pilgrims for Bangladesh was around 58,628 in 2009, which was increased to around 1,27,000 in 2019.
Altogether, 60,000 people from Bangladesh were allowed to perform hajj in 2022. Of the total number of pilgrims, Biman carried half and two Saudi Arabian airlines — Saudia and Flynas — carried the rest.
Source: daily star
