Chittagong Receives 413 Hajj Pilgrims on First Return Flight

The first returning Hajj flight, carrying 413 Bangladeshi pilgrims, landed at Hazrat Shah Amanat International Airport  (HSAIA) in Chatogram from Saudi Arabia this morning. The BG-136 of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, touched down at HSAIA at 10:48 am today, the HSAIA authorities said. A total of 5,188 pilgrims left for Saudi Arabia to perform the holy Hajj this year from Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram. They have started returning home after completing the Hajj. The authorities of the airport greeted the returning pilgrims with flowers at the boarding gate and gave bottles of Zamzam water from a booth set up by Biman Bangladesh Airlines as pilgrims are not permitted to carry it themselves due to Saudi Arabian regulations. Airport Director Group Captain Sheikh Abdullah Alamgir formally welcomed the pilgrims at the boarding bridge with floral tributes. Civil Aviation Authority (CAAB) officials, the airport's executive magistrate, Biman Bangladesh Airlines district manager, station manager and senior officials of the concerned organisations were present at the time. Engineer Mohammad Ibrahim Khalil, public relations officer (PRO) of HSAIA, said: "This year, 5,188 Hajj pilgrims went to Saudi Arabia through Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport. The first flight returned today and the rest will return at the specified time."