Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will open Hajj activities of this year (Hijri 1437) in Dhaka on Wednesday.

‘The premier will inaugurate the Hajj activities-2016 (Hijri 1437) and exchange greetings with the (Hajj) pilgrims through a function at Ashkona Haji Camp in Uttara tomorrow morning,’ Prime Minister’s Office officials said.

Some 1,01,758 Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims are expected to perform the holy Hajj on 10 September this year as per the official data provided by the Religious Affairs Ministry.

‘Of the hajj pilgrims, 10,000 pilgrims are expected to perform the Hajj under the government management and the remaining 91,758 under private management,’ said an official of the ministry on Monday.

He said the government has made all preparations to operate Hajj flights from Dhaka to Jeddah from 4 August to 5 September.

Earlier, the cabinet on 11 January approved the Hajj Package 2016, fixing the minimum cost for a pilgrim at Taka 304,903, up by Taka 8,697 from the previous year.

The state-run Biman Bangladesh Airlines is expected to carry half of the total hajj passengers, while Saudi Arabian Airlines would ferry the rest of the hajj pilgrims from Dhaka to Jeddah and no third carrier would be allowed as usual to carry hajj passengers.

The return Hajj flights would commence on 17 September and continue till 15 October, according to sources at the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry.

Besides, a 292-member Bangladeshi Hajj team comprising physicians, pharmacists, nurses/brothers and assistants would go to Saudi Arabia to provide healthcare facilities to hajj pilgrims.