First Hajj return flight to leave for Bangladesh past midnight

The first return flight for Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims will leave Saudi Arabia early Saturday after the completion of rituals on Friday.

The "SV 5806" flight of Saudia Airlines will take off from the King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah around 3:10am Saturday in Bangladesh time.

In total, 5,434 pilgrims will return to Bangladesh on 13 flights on Saturday, said the Ministry of Religious Affairs in a press release on Friday.

The final return flight will leave Saudi Arabia on 1 July.

On 17 April, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman launched the Hajj flights for taking Bangladeshi Muslim devotees to Saudi Arabia. The last pligrims reached Saudi Arabia on 21 May.