Two more Bangladeshi pilgrims have died while performing the holy Hajj, bringing the total number of Bangladeshi deaths this year to 60. According to the latest bulletin from the Hajj portal, the deceased include 47 men and 13 women.
The majority of the deaths, 47, occurred in Makkah, with the remaining in Madinah (4), Mina (7), and Jeddah (2).
The bulletin reported that 49,981 pilgrims have returned to Bangladesh after completing their Hajj pilgrimage. These pilgrims arrived on 127 flights from Saudi Arabia, with Biman Bangladesh Airlines operating 53 flights, Saudi Airlines 48, and Flinus Airlines 26.
The return flights commenced on June 20, when the first return flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines landed at Shahjalal International Airport with 417 pilgrims. The return flights are scheduled to continue until July 22.
This year, a total of 85,225 pilgrims from Bangladesh, including management members, traveled to Saudi Arabia for Hajj. Notably, next year, Saudi Arabia has allocated a quota of 127,198 pilgrims for Bangladesh.
The Ministry of Religion informed that the record number of deaths occurred due to an intense heat wave and unbearable heat conditions in Saudi Arabia. Of the 60 deaths, 17 occurred before the start of the Hajj ceremony, while the remaining 43 occurred during the Hajj. The Hajj portal has published the names of all the deceased, with the latest death being that of Ismail Hossain, aged 64, on July 4.
According to Saudi Arabian law, if a pilgrim dies while performing Hajj, their body is buried in Saudi Arabia, regardless of family objections. This year, as always, pilgrims who died in Makkah had their Janaza (funeral prayer) held in Masjid al-Haram. The pilgrimage this year has been particularly challenging due to the extreme weather, and Religion Affairs Ministry is expected to review the support and facilities available to pilgrims to prevent such high casualties in the future.
