In a latest update, the Saudi Arabian government has once again prolonged the deadline for Bangladeshi pilgrims to apply for Hajj visas, now extending it until Saturday.
M Shahadat Hossain Taslim, President of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (Haab), confirmed this development to the Dhaka Tribune on Tuesday afternoon. Initially set for April 29, the Hajj visa application deadline was extended to May 7 (Tuesday), and now, it has been further pushed to May 11.
With the inaugural Hajj flight from Dhaka to Saudi Arabia scheduled for Thursday, preparations are in full swing. This year, government arrangements have seen 4,289 individuals registering for Hajj, while 78,895 have opted for private management.
The commencement of Hajj, tentatively set for June 16, depends on the sighting of the moon. Typically, Hajj flights begin a month before the pilgrimage kicks off.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is slated to inaugurate the 2024 Hajj activities at the Ashkona Hajj Camp in the city on Wednesday. The first Hajj flight, BG-3301, is scheduled to depart from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 7:20 am, carrying 419 pilgrims bound for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Additionally, Saudi Arabian Airlines-Flynas has a flight scheduled to depart from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 1 pm on the same day, transporting Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims to Jeddah.
