Dhaka: Hajj flights to carry Bangladeshi pilgrims to Saudi Arabia will begin on 16 August and continue till 18 September this year.

The return hajj flights will begin on 27 September and continue till 28 October, said Civil Aviation and Tourism minister Rashed Khan Menon on Thursday.

The minister was talking to reporters at his ministry after an inter-ministerial meeting over completion of hajj preparations.

A total of 101,758 pilgrims are expected to perform hajj from Bangladesh this year. The number of Bangladeshi pilgrims was 98,762 last year, the minister said.

Menon said Biman Bangladesh Airlines will carry half of the hajj passengers while Saudi Airlines the remaining ones.

The hajj pilgrims will have to carry ‘Zamzam’ water from Saudi Arabia as Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Saudi Airlines will supply it to them at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

As per the decision of the meeting, each pilgrim will be allowed to carry 32-kg luggage and 7kg handbag, the minister said.

He said some measures have been taken to bring transparency in ticket management so that the pilgrims do not face any trouble in getting tickets.  

Civil Aviation and Tourism secretary Khorshed Alam Chowdhury, Religious Affairs secretary Chowdhury Babul Hasan and Civil Aviation chairman Air Vice-Marshal M Sanaul Haque were, among others, present at the meeting.