Biman starts return hajj flights
Biman Bangladesh Airlines yesterday began its operation of return hajj flights.
The first return flight landed in Zia International Airport (ZIA) in the capital at 4.30am yesterday with 314 hajis on board, Biman sources said.
Some hajis complained of facing trouble in carrying out the pilgrimage including problems in procuring the holy water of Zamzam well.
Religious Affairs Secretary Mohammad Ataur Rahman received the returnee hajis at ZIA.
Biman will operate 84 more dedicated return hajj flights until January 25, 2008 bringing 35,473 Bangladeshi hajis home.
The same number of pilgrims traveled with Biman to Saudi Arabia to perform the hajj. Some 10,000 pilgrims availed the services from Saudia, bringing the total number of Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims this year to 45,407 including 5,572 ballottee hajis, who performed the hajj under the management of Bangladesh government.
The first flight of about 543 ballotee hajis is scheduled to arrive at 10:35am today, the sources said.
Boeing 747s and DC 10s are flying the hajis home.
Operations of the hajj flights began on November 12.
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