First return Hajj flight of Biman lands after two-hour delay

The first return Hajj flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:20pm on Wednesday. The flight, which carried 419 hajjis on its first return journey, was scheduled to land at 6:10pm, but was delayed for two hours. Biman attributed the delay to a huge pressure of returnees at the Jeddah airport in Saudi Arabia. In a press briefing on Wednesday after the flight landed, Biman Managing Director and CEO Mosaddek Ahmed said it was due to traffic jam in the Saudi cities that prevented Hajis from reaching the airport on time, plus their check-ins, as everyone was rushing towards the airport to catch their flights. “Therefore, falling behind on the flight schedule is natural, but we are trying our best to minimise the delay.” Talking to the Hajis at the airport on Wednesday, this correspondent learnt that widespread mismanagement caused heavy sufferings to those that went to perform Hajj under the Government Hajj Scheme. Most of them blamed the authorities for not providing them with sufficient food, and they had to spend a lot of money on food. Aminul Islam, one of the Hajj pilgrims, said he went through a rough patch in Mina as he had to live on only rice and lentil for five days in a stretch. The national flag carrier operated a total of 187 flights for Hajj this year. Due to passenger shortage, it was forced to cancel 24 dedicated flights, which incurred a loss of Tk44 crore in revenue this year. The problem arose as a lot of devotees failed to get their visas on time.