DHAKA,   – Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) today announced that the hajj flights carrying Bangladeshi pilgrims for performing the holy hajj this year will begin on July 4 and will continue till August 5.

The return hajj flights are scheduled to begin on August 17, HAAB Secretary General Shahadat Hossain Taslim told BSS this afternoon.

Besides, Biman Bangladesh Airlines has taken all-out preparations to start this year’s hajj flights from July 4, a Biman press release said here on April 30 last.

According to the release, some 1,27,198 pilgrims from Bangladesh are set to perform the hajj this year. Biman Bangladesh Airlines will carry 63,599, the half of the total hajj pilgrims, and the rest will be carried by Saudi Airlines, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia.

The Biman will operate 189 pre-hajj flights, 157 dedicated and 32 scheduled flights till August 5 to ferry the pilgrims.

The Biman’s return hajj flights will start on August 17 and end on September 14.