Dhaka: Some 1,01,758 Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims are expected to perform the Holy Hajj on September 10 (Zihaz 9) this year as per the official data provided by the Religious Affairs Ministry.

‘Some 10,000 pilgrims are expected to perform the Hajj under the government management and the rest 91,758 under private management,’ an official familiar with the process of the Religious Ministry told BSS.

He said the government has made all preparations to launch Hajj flights from Dhaka to Jeddah from 4 August and operate until 5 September. The return flights would operate from 17 September and continue until 15 October to bring back pilgrims.

Earlier, the cabinet on 11 January approved the Hajj Package 2016, setting the minimum cost for a pilgrim at Tk 3,04,903, up by Tk 8,697 from the previous year.

Meanwhile, the state-run Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited 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 scheduled to begin on 17 September would continue till 15 October, according to the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry official.

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

Of them, the first batch of the healthcare providers would stay in Saudi Arabia from 2 August to 16 September (45 Days) and the second batch would be there from 3 September to 17 October (45 Days), according to the ministry data.

The first batch of the healthcare providers including physicians, pharmacists, nurses/brothers and assistants would leave from Dhaka for Jeddah on Tuesday.