A total of 29,694 Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims have returned home from Saudi Arabia as of Thursday after completing this year’s Hajj.
An official said 71 return flights operated under three designated carriers. Biman Bangladesh Airlines operated 24 flights, Saudia Airlines 28 flights, and Flynas Airlines 19 flights.
The Hajj office said 3,328 pilgrims returned under government management, while 26,366 returned under private travel agencies. All returnees travelled through the 71 flights.
This year, 46 Bangladeshi pilgrims died in Saudi Arabia during Hajj. Among them, 30 were men and 16 were women. Of the deceased, 35 died in Makkah and 11 in Madinah. No deaths were reported in Jeddah, Mina or Muzdalifah.
Officials also reported that 262 pilgrims received treatment in various hospitals in Saudi Arabia for illnesses. Among them, 24 required hospital admission. Saudi medical centres treated 56,312 pilgrims in total. An IT help desk also provided services to 25,710 pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah.
The Hajj operations began with the first outbound flight on 18 April and ended on 21 May.
Return flights started on 30 May and will continue until 30 June.
