Biman Bangladesh Airlines are in a confusion over the actual number of Hajj pilgrims this year as the Saudi authorities are likely to issue some new regulations in the wake of spreading of a virus that may restrict the Bangladeshi pilgrims who have respiratory problem.
The Saudi government has taken some cautionary measures for Hajj passengers as the virus called the Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome has been spreading out, said religious affairs ministry officials.
The Hajj passengers who are attacked by respiratory problems would not be able to perform Hajj this year due to the virus.
Biman officials said that the government has set a target to send around one lakh 28 thousand Hajj pilgrims this year. But only 89,179 pilgrims have already paid the fees for Hajj. Of them, Biman would carry around 45 thousand passengers.
Consequently, the Biman authorities have already backtracked from its decision to take on lease two Boeing- 777 aircraft with 450-seat each as the number of Hajj pilgrims has not been up to the expectation this year.
Biman has decided to carry Hajj pilgrims with the existing two Boeings-777, they said.
Biman officials also said that though these two Boeings will remain busy with carrying pilgrims, the airlines decided to take lease of two additional aircraft with 250 seats each to carry passengers of other international routes.
But Biman authorities are apprehending massive slump if Hajj pilgrims are not up to its expectation this year.
Biman managing director Kevin Steele told New Age that the number of Hajj pilgrims has been reduced this year due to new rules of the Saudi authorities.
‘But Biman officials are planning Hajj flights in such a way as we don’t have any disruption as a result of the new Saudi regulation’, he added.
However, Kevin said, ‘We need to know the reduced number of Hajj passengers as soon as possible. Otherwise the plan for carrying the pilgrims will become more difficult to execute.’
The experts are yet to address the origin and resistance of the respiratory syndrome and Saudi government is trying to keep people, who are going to perform Hajj, away from the virus.
For this, the Saudi government has already taken decision not to give visa to those people who will easily be attacked by the virus.
Hajj office of Bangladesh in Saudi Arabia has sent a letter to religious affairs ministry informing the Saudi decision.
The letter said that elderly people, pregnant women, children and people who are already attacked by kidney, respiratory and diabetic problems will not be able to perform Hajj this year due to Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome.
Religious affairs ministry officials said that the ministry is aware of the new rules and regulations. But the ministry is yet to get any official notice from the Saudi government. The ministry will take a decision about Hajj passengers after getting the notice from Saudi authorities.
The government earlier had targeted around one lakh 28 thousand Hajj passengers but only 89 thousand 179 Hajj passengers have finally paid the fees.
Of them, around one thousand 589 Hajj pilgrims will be sent on the government management and around 87 thousand 590 on private arrangement. Last year some 1,06,680 Bangladeshis had performed Hajj.
-With New Age input
