Hajj flights from Dhaka to Jeddah will begin on September 17 and continue till October 30 this year.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines along with Saudi Arabian Airlines and Nas Air will carry a total of 1,12,568 Hajj passengers from Bangladesh, the civil aviation secretary, Md Atharul Islam, said on Sunday.
‘The national flag carrier Biman has made all the
preparations to ferry a half of the Hajj passengers while Saudi Arabian Airlines and Nas Air will sign separate agreements tomorrow to carry the rest,’ the secretary told reporters at the secretariat after a meeting with the representatives of the airlines.
The civil aviation and tourism minister, Muhammad Faruk Khan, presided over the meeting on the Hajj flight schedules already approved by Saudi authorities.
Biman’s first Hajj flight will take off Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with 582 intending pilgrims at 5:00am on September 17 and the last flight will leave Dhaka on October 22. The return flights will begin on November 1 and will end on November 29.
Saudi Airlines which will begin flights on September 21 will fly the last flight on October 22 from Dhaka and the return flights which will begin on October 30 will end on November 30.
Nas Air which will begin flights on September 17 will fly the last flight on October 19 from Dhaka and the return flights which will begin on October 30 will end on November 28, according to the approved schedules.
In addition to its own Hajj flights, Saudi Airlines will engage Nas Air to ferry intending pilgrims from Dhaka as the Bangladesh government has decided not to allow a third carrier to carry intending pilgrims this year, the secretary said.
Private Hajj agencies have protested at Saudi Arabian Airlines’ decision to engage Nas Air in carrying intending pilgrims as there were allegations of mismanagement against the airlines in 2011.
‘We have cautioned Nas Air against the sufferings of pilgrims because of some mismanagement of the airlines in 2011. Saudi Airlines has taken the responsibility for Nas Air. We hope there will be no problem this year,’ Atharul Islam told reporters.
Private Hajj operators earlier said that they could not yet rent houses in Makkah as the airlines responsible for carrying Hajj passengers were delaying their announcement of Hajj flight schedules.
The secretary said that the agencies would now be able to rent houses in Saudi Arabia.
‘We have set up a task force led by joint secretary Zoynal Abedin Talukder to coordinate the activities of various agencies relating to Hajj management. We have taken all precautions to ensure smooth services to pilgrims,’ Atharul Islam said.
In 2011, the Bangladesh government allowed 14 airlines as third carriers besides Biman and Saudi Arabian Airlines to ferry 1,07,343 Hajj pilgrims from Bangladesh to Saudi Arabia for $1,465 each.
This year, 354 private agencies have signed agreements to end 1,09,603 intending pilgrims while around 2,965 are expected to perform Hajj under the government management. Each Hajj pilgrim has to pay $1,475 in air fare.
-With New Age input
