DHAKA: Saudi officers are working round the clock to offer smooth immigration to thousands of Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims under the Kingdom’s Makkah Route initiative, authorities in Dhaka said on Friday. Most of the pilgrims are departing from Dhaka under the flagship pre-travel program, which was launched by the Kingdom 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 upon arrival in Saudi Arabia. Makkah Route preparations and facilities at the Dhaka airport were inspected this week by Saudi Deputy Interior Minister Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al-Dawood, as Saudi officers arrived in Bangladesh to facilitate the journey for pilgrims. “The officials who arrived for the immigration process are facilitating the (journey for) pilgrims rigorously and religiously. A team of around 150 Saudi officials is offering them assistance round the clock,” Mohammed Kamruzzaman, director of Bangladesh’s Hajj Office, told Arab News. “All our Hajj agencies and relevant stakeholders also appreciate the e-Hajj management. They are getting services beyond their expectations as immigration formalities are being completed very smoothly.” This year, the Hajj is expected to start on June 14 and end on June 19. While the pilgrimage itself can be performed over five or six days, pilgrims often arrive early, knowing that it may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fulfill their religious duty. “This year’s Makkah Route operations in Dhaka are running very smoothly. We complete the pilgrims’ Bangladeshi immigration part at the Ashkona Hajj camp near the airport, and the Saudi immigration part is being done at the airport in the shortest possible time. This arrangement amazed the pilgrims and is beyond their expectations,” Kamruzzaman said. “It’s taking even less time for the completion of the Saudi immigration, which became possible due to introducing upgraded equipment.” Saudi Arabia granted Bangladesh a quota of 127,000 pilgrims to perform the spiritual journey that is one of the five pillars of Islam. The Hajj flights from Dhaka began last week. “Till Friday, 25,559 pilgrims have traveled to the Kingdom on 66 flights,” Kamruzzaman said. “We are maintaining excellent coordination between the e-Hajj management of Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia. Due to these smooth operations, our pilgrims expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Saudi authorities.”