The first hajj flight carrying 419 pilgrims left the Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram for Saudi Arabia on Tuesday (May 23). Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation M Rezaul Karim Chowdhury inaugurated the first hajj flight.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines General Manager (Marketing) Md Salahuddin, General Manager (Public Relations) Tahera Khandkar, Shah Amanat International Airport Director Group Captain Taslim Ahmed, Chairman of Chattogram unit of Hajj Agencies Association, Bangladesh (HAAB) Shah Alam, Association of Travel Agencies of Bangladesh (ATAB) Chattogram president Md. Abu Zafar were present at the time.
In the inauguration ceremony, the Chattogram mayor presented the government's action plan for the welfare of the pilgrims. CCC Mayor Rezaul Karim then greeted the pilgrims with flowers and took them to the plane.
Bangladesh Biman will operate 22 dedicated Hajj flights from Chattogram to Modinah and Jeddah during the current Hajj season. These flights will carry 10,500 pilgrims.
The Mayor also said that the last Hajj flight will depart from Chattogram on June 22. Last year, there were 11 flights from Chattogram to Jeddah and Modinah, but this time 11 have been increased to 22. 6 of them will go to Modinah. More than 10 thousand pilgrims will be transported in these flights. Last year the number of pilgrims from Chattogram was 5 thousand. This time the number has more than doubled to 10 thousand 500 people.