With the Hajj rituals completed in Saudi Arabia, the first flight carrying 419 pilgrims landed on the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital at 5.40am Friday.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines operated the flight and would continue bringing in the over 40,000 Hajj pilgrims till 22 July. The airlines would operate total 125 flights for retuning the pilgrims to three international airports in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet.

On Friday, each returning pilgrims were given Saudi Arabia’s holy Zamzam water from a booth of Biman Bangladesh.

The airlines’ Managing Director and CEO Mohammad Zahidul Islam Bhuiyan inaugurated the water distribution activities.

Mohammad Saiful Islam, additional secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Air Vice Marshal Mohammad Mofidur Rahman, chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, were present during the inauguration of Zamzam water distribution programme, among others.