Hajj flights from Bangladesh will begin early tomorrow, with the maiden flight of Saudia carrying around 420 pilgrims scheduled to depart from Dhaka Airport at approximately 2:15am on Tuesday.

Another hajj flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, carrying the same number of pilgrims, is set to leave Dhaka airport around 3:00am the same day, said Farid Ahmed Majumder, president of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh.

This year, 454 hajj flights will be operated to facilitate the travel of pilgrims, including 234 pre-hajj flights and 220 return flights.

According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, 87,100 pilgrims have registered for hajj from Bangladesh this year. Of them, 5,200 will perform hajj under government management, while 81,900 through private hajj agencies.

Biman will carry half of the total pilgrims, while Saudia and Flynas, two national flag carriers of Saudi Arabia, will transport the rest. Biman General Manager (Public Relations) Bushra Islam said this year, hajj flights will be operated from Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet airports.

From Chattogram, 17 pre-hajj flights and nine return flights will be operated. Similarly, from Sylhet, there will be five pre-hajj flights and eight return flights.

Hajj flights from Chattogram's Shah Amanat International Airport will begin on May 3, and from Sylhet's Osmani International Airport on May 14.

This year, hajj is expected to take place on June 5, subject to the sighting of the moon.

The management of hajj is set to enter a new era with the introduction of a mobile app, prepaid card services, and enhanced roaming facilities aimed at making the pilgrimage experience smoother and more convenient for Bangladeshi pilgrims.

The government will launch the new mobile application, "Labbayk", alongside a hajj prepaid card and special mobile roaming packages for pilgrims.

These services will be officially inaugurated by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus at his Jamuna residence today, according to sources from the Ministry of Religious Affairs.