Though 46,000 intending hajj pilgrims are yet to leave Dhaka, Religious Affairs Secretary Abdul Jalil on Saturday said all the intending pilgrims will be able to reach Saudi Arabia by August 28 next.

“A total of 81,063 intending hajj pilgrims left Dhaka as of Saturday morning and the remaining ones will be able to reach Saudi Arabia within the stipulated time (Aug 28),” he told journalist, reports UNB.

The Saudi government has approved e-Visa applications for 127,156 intending Bangladeshi pilgrims till 9 am on Saturday, according to the secretary.

He said the remaining visa applications will also be approved within the given time. The Saudi embassy will provide the passports by Sunday.

Jalil, however, said 1-2 percent applications from intending pilgrims are rejected on various grounds every year.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Saudi Airlines started carrying Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims on July 24 last and will continue carrying till the morning of August 28.

Some 127,198 pilgrims were scheduled to perform hajj from Bangladesh this year under government and private managements.

Of them, 122,998 pilgrims are under private management, while the rest 4,200 under government management.