Hajj flights to begin May 21

Staff Reporter :
Though this year’s first hajj flights will start for Saudi Arabia on May 21, Biman will not reduce hajj airfare despite calls from different quarters, including the religious affairs ministry and a parliamentary watchdog, for reducing the ticket price.
“The airfare for hajj pilgrims this year has been fixed at Tk1.97 lakh taking into account the increased exchange rate of dollar, price hike of jet fuel, and increase in taxes,” Shafiul Azim, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines said this while talking to journalists in the city’s Kurmitola on Sunday.
He said that the return hajj flights will begin on August 2 and the national flag carrier will operate 159 pre-hajj flights and 152 post-hajj flights with its Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 aircraft.
“There is no scope to curtail the hajj airfare as the decision was made consulting with respective ministries, hajj agencies and experts,” Shafiul Azim said.
However, airfare for hajj pilgrims was fixed at Tk1.40 lakh kast year.  
 Earlier, the High Court asks the government to take initiative to reduce Hajj cost terming the cost as ‘inhuman’.  
Biman’s CEO mentioned that the hajj package consists of 16 types of expenses, not just airfare.
Though Tk2.10 lakh was proposed initially for this year’s airfare, it was further reduced on everyone’s recommendation, he said, adding that in no way was the airfare set higher than the market price.
Shafiul Azim also talked about various issues including irregularities and successes of the national flag carrier.
Hajj package has become costlier by around Tk1.5 lakh compared to the previous year. This year the cost of the pilgrimage, which is managed by private agencies, is around Tk6.73 lakh, excluding qurbani.
Despite massive interest among people, the registration process is at a slow pace from aspirant pilgrims due to the high cost against the country’s quota of 1.27 lakh in 2023, even after the deadline was extended four times.
According to hajj agencies and travel agents, the increase in cost is due to higher expenses on both the Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia sides.
The Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (Haab) has mainly blamed Biman Bangladesh Airlines for the high airfare that has driven up the total cost of the hajj package.