Bangladesh's first Hajj flight of the 2026 season landed in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, carrying 419 Muslim pilgrims aboard a Biman Bangladesh Airlines aircraft, the country's Ministry of Religious Affairs announced.

Flight BG 3001 touched down at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah at 4:20 am local time, according to a ministry statement, completing the opening leg of Bangladesh's annual pilgrimage airlift to the holy sites of Islam.

"The pilgrims were welcomed with flowers and handed refreshment kits upon arrival," the ministry said in its statement.

Bangladesh's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Md. Delwar Hossain, and Counsellor for Hajj Affairs, Md. Kamrul Islam, were present at the airport to receive the arriving pilgrims. Also in attendance were the Consul General at the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah, Md. Sakhawat Hossain, and Assistant Seasonal Hajj Officer Md. Ruhul Amin.

Saudi officials also participated in the reception, including Yahya Radi, Head of Operations at the Jeddah Hajj Terminal, and Raed Bakshawn, manager of Nusuk Marhaba—the Saudi authority tasked with greeting incoming Hajj delegations.

The flight's departure was preceded by an official inauguration ceremony held late Friday at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka, where Prime Minister Tarique Rahman formally launched the Bangladesh Hajj Flight Programme 2026.

Bangladesh, one of the world's largest Hajj pilgrim-sending countries, is expected to send around 78,500 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia this year. Of them, 4,565 pilgrims will perform Hajj under government management, while 73,935 will under private agencies.

About half of the people going on the hajj will fly with Biman Bangladesh Airlines. The other half will fly with Saudia or Flynas.

Subject to moon sighting, the holy Hajj is expected to be held on May 26, 2026.

Return flights will start on May 30, after the Hajj rituals are over, and will run until July 1.