Hajj flights: PMO warns Biman, others against any mess-up

The Prime Minister's Office has sternly warned Biman and others concerned about disruptions to hajj flights and asked them to remain extremely vigilant so that there is no fiasco.

During a hajj management review meeting, chaired by Ahmad Kaikaus, principal secretary to the prime minister, on Tuesday, the PMO issued nine directives to ministries and departments concerned.

The matter, however, came to light yesterday.

According to the instructions, hajj flights will only carry pilgrims and no other passengers, and carriers have to ensure that all pilgrims get their immigration procedures done at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

"For this purpose, the required number of booths should be set up in the hajj camp," a top official of the religious affairs ministry told The Daily Star quoting the instructions.

Two additional booths will be set up at the airport for special cases.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has to provide necessary information of pilgrims to the immigration authorities in advance.

The health department will take necessary steps in coordination with the religious affairs ministry, for designating a hospital for smooth RT-PCR tests of pilgrims, the instructions read.

All services at the hajj camp will be 24/7.

The DNCC and the Roads and Highways Department have been tasked to keep the road between the airport and the hajj camp unhindered.

Hajj flights are scheduled to start from May 31.

Asked, Biman Managing Director and CEO Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal said, "We have been instructed to take maximum preparations … .

"We have taken all kinds of preparations … . Hopefully, there will be no disaster with hajj flights."

A total of 57,585 Bangladeshis will be able to perform hajj this year, likely to be held on July 8.

In 2019, around 1.27 lakh Bangladeshis were allowed to perform hajj. Due to the pandemic, the largest annual Muslim congregation was held on a limited scale in the last two years.