Dhaka: In the wake of cancellation of 10 hajj flights for lack of passengers, Biman Bangladesh Airlines on Wednesday urged all the hajj agencies to confirm their bookings and collect air tickets within the next 72 hours.

A Biman press release said the national flag carrier has so far cancelled 10 flights after the hajj flights began on August 4. ‘A 5000-seat capacity to ferry pilgrims has been lost following the cancellation of the hajj flights,’ it said.

Besides, Biman had to incur financial losses for the flight cancellation, the release said.

Some 101,758 Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims are expected to perform the holy hajj this time.

Of them, 91,758 will perform hajj under private management while the rest 10,000 under government arrangement.

This year, the hajj flights of Biman will continue till September 5 while the return hajj flights will begin on September 17 and continue till October 15.