Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national flag carrier, is set to commence direct flights from Sylhet’s Osmani International Airport to Madinah on May 14, aiming to ease the sufferings of Hajj pilgrims.
A total of five direct flights will be operated from Sylhet, accommodating 2,095 pilgrims and making their travel smoother.
Confirming the matter, Shahnewaz Majumder, Biman’s manager in Sylhet, said that one maiden flight would fly directly to Madinah, while the remaining four will operate on the Sylhet-Jeddah route.
The Jeddah-bound flights are scheduled for May 23, 25, 26, and 29, he said.
Immigration formalities for passengers flying directly from Sylhet would be completed upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed Ziaur Rahman Khan Rezwan, president of the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB), Sylhet Zone, said that a total of 2,700 pilgrims from Sylhet would perform Hajj this year.
Of them, 2,095 would travel directly from Sylhet, while the rest would depart from Dhaka, he added.