Hajis' flight trouble on

Over 800 hajis suffered delays of up to around five hours as two Biman flights touched down behind schedule at Shahjalal International Airport yesterday, the third day of return hajj flights.

And that was not all. Some hajis had to stay at the airport for hours for their luggage.

Sources at Biman Bangladesh Airlines said the two flights were scheduled to arrive in Dhaka from Jeddah at 8:30am and 1:10pm. But they landed at 11:30am and 6:00pm respectively.

Talking to The Daily Star about his plight, college teacher Akil Ali Mir said his hajj guide didn't bother to pick him up from the hotel to take him to Jeddah airport on time.

“Some of us had to wait at Jeddah airport for over 10 hours as many other Bangladeshis were late,” added Akil Ali of Patuakhali.

Nazrul Islam of Barisal said after changing the check out time at the hotel, his guide informed him that he would send a vehicle to the hotel at 9:00am on Sunday to take him to Jeddah airport.

“The vehicle finally came seven hours later. But we couldn't contact the guide during this period,” he added.

Nazrul complained that many hajis were stranded at the airport for hours without any food, leaving pilgrims, particularly the elderly ones, suffer.

Wishing anonymity, a hajah said she waited at Dhaka airport for more than three hours for her luggage.

“I didn't find any staff at the airport who would tell me how long I need to wait to have my luggage,” she said.

A top Biman official said the flight schedules were messed up in the first two days as many hajj agents failed to bring pilgrims to Jeddah airport on time.

He, however, claimed the situation improved yesterday. A delay of two to three hours at Jeddah airport is normal considering the huge rush of pilgrims, the official added.

The return flights of Bangladeshi hajis started on September 17 and would continue till October 17. The national flag carrier has so far flown home over 2,500 pilgrims.