Saudi hospitality reaches Dhaka as immigration officers assist Hajj pilgrims
DHAKA: Bangladeshi pilgrims are enjoying the care and attention of dozens of Saudi officers who under the Makkah Route initiative are working around the clock at Dhaka's main airport to ensure smooth immigration for Hajj.
About 87,000 Bangladeshi pilgrims are expected to perform the spiritual journey that is one of the five pillars of Islam. This year, the Hajj is expected to start on June 4 and end on June 9.
Most of the pilgrims are departing under the flagship pre-travel program, which the Kingdom launched in 2019 to help pilgrims meet all the visa, customs and health requirements at their airport of origin and save them long hours of waiting before and on arrival in the Kingdom.
'It's a very pleasant experience for the pilgrims as they receive the heartiest welcome by the Saudi immigration officials,' Lokman Hossain, director of the Hajj Office at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, told Arab News on Wednesday.
'The immigration officials here serve the pilgrims very gently and always with a welcoming smile. It's something that they can anticipate as the Kingdom's hospitality for Hajj pilgrims … This is something extraordinary, and offers the pilgrims a comfort in their journey to the holy places.'
Bangladesh is among seven Muslim-majority countries — including Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco, Turkiye and Cote d'Ivoire — where Saudi Arabia is operating its Makkah Route initiative.
'The moment pilgrims enter into the airport, their Saudi immigration formalities are taken care of by the immigration staffers stationed here temporarily by the Kingdom's authorities,' Hossain said.
'There is no need to wait in any queues. Saudi immigration officials are offering instant services to our pilgrims with more than a dozen service counters. Women immigration staffers are also deployed here, which brings ease for our women pilgrims also.'
The moment they enter the Makkah Route facilities at the airport, the pilgrims are 'treated like distinguished guests,' he added.
'Sometimes, the pilgrims receive greetings in their local language too. It creates a sense of comfort in the pilgrims' minds.'
Special pilgrimage flights from Dhaka started in late April, as many pilgrims arrive early to make the most of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fulfill their religious duty. More than 51,400 Bangladeshi pilgrims have already traveled to the Kingdom as of Tuesday.
'Makkah Route initiative is a very significant and helpful offer for our pilgrims,' Hossain said. 'Our pilgrims are enjoying this facility.'
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