The first return hajj flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying 416 pilgrims arrived at Hajrat Shahjalal International Airport from Jeddah on Thursday afternoon.
Acting Managing Director of Biman Mosaddek Ahmed and Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority Air Vice- Marshal Mahmud Hossain welcomed the pilgrims at the airport around 2:40pm.
More pilgrims are expected to arrive Thursday by three other Biman's dedicated hajj flights and one scheduled flight from Jeddah, a Biman spokesperson told BSS.
The national flag carrier will operate return hajj flights till November 8 (with a total of 134 flights) to bring back half of the total Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims, she said.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has declared extra baggage carrying facilities for the hajj pilgrims on the return flights. As per the new offer, each pilgrim will be eligible to carry maximum 40kg in checked baggage and 7kg in hand baggage.
The hajj flights of Biman, beginning on August 27 and continued till September 28, carried 50,329 pilgrims exceeding the airlines' target.
This year, Biman has been operating total hajj flights using its own aircraft for the first time and so far able to save Tk60-Tk70 crore.