Finally, 606 pilgrims, out of 126,789, will not be able to perform Hajj this year due to various reasons. The last Hajj flight (BG7093) of Bangladesh Biman will take off from Dhaka for Jeddah at 3:55pm today (Wednesday). According to religious ministry sources, as of August 13, a total of 116,533 pilgrims have reached Saudi Arabia. Of them, 6,755 pilgrims are under government arrangement and 1,09,778 under private management. The Saudi embassy in Bangladesh has issued 127,319 visas, including management visas.

The embassy officially stopped issuing Hajj visas for Bangladeshi pilgrims on August 7, but it was unofficially extended by two more days on the request of the government, sources said.

“A total of 126,183 pilgrims, out of 126,789, have obtained visas for this year’s Hajj. A total of 606 pilgrims are not going to perform Hajj this year due to various reasons like funds crunch, illness and death,” Syful Islam, director of the Hajj Office, told The Independent yesterday (Tuesday).

When asked about the fate of the 123 pilgrims of Minar Travels, Syful Islam replied: “All of them have obtained visas and their flight tickets have also been collected. So, there will be no problem for these pilgrims.”

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has cancelled 20 Hajj flights due to shortage of pilgrims, Shakil Meraj, general manager (public relation) of Biman, told this correspondent.

“We are yet to confirm about the last Hajj flight on Wednesday. But there is a scheduled flight, BG7093, which is likely to take off at 3:55pm today (Wednesday). It may be the last Hajj flight for 2018,” he said in reply to a query.

Religious affairs ministry sources said 116,533 pilgrims had flown to Saudi Arabia by 342 flights —167 of Biman Bangladesh Airlines and 175 of Saudi Airlines— till August 13. Of them, 6,755 went under government management and 109,778 under private management.

Of the Bangladeshi pilgrims who went to Saudi Arabia, 36, including six women, have died due to various illnesses since July 14. Of the pilgrims, 29 died in Makkah, five in Medina and two in Jeddah.

Apart from the government, 528 private Hajj agencies have been allowed to send pilgrims to perform Hajj this year.

This year’s Hajj will be celebrated on August 20. The return flights with Bangladeshi Hajis will begin leaving Saudi Arabia from August 27.