Bangladesh

50 Umrah Pilgrims from Pabna Return Home via Qatar, Pay Extra Tk 20,000 Each

16 October 2026 13:10 PM

NEWS DESK

Fifty Umrah pilgrims from Ishwardi in Pabna have returned to Bangladesh via Qatar after being stranded in Saudi Arabia due to flight disruptions. Each passenger had to pay an additional Tk 20,000 for the alternative travel arrangements.

The group arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Thursday evening, Bangladesh time, after travelling through Qatar.

Mohammad Raihan, the group’s muallim (religious tour guide), said they were scheduled to return home on Tuesday. However, flight operations were suspended following an attack on Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport, leaving them uncertain about when they could return.

After waiting for two days, arrangements were made for the group to travel home via Qatar on a Qatar Airways flight.

The pilgrims also faced difficulties finding accommodation in Saudi Arabia after missing their scheduled return date. Raihan said their accommodation arrangements had been secured only until Tuesday, forcing them to make new arrangements and endure considerable hardship.

Many passengers struggled to manage the situation while travelling with women, children and other family members. Several pilgrims also fell ill during the delay and had to be admitted to a local hospital.

Sagar Sardar, a resident of Saran Gopalpur village in Ishwardi municipality, said he had travelled to Saudi Arabia for Umrah with his mother, wife and two children.

Their return plans were disrupted by the airport attack just as they were preparing to come home after completing their religious rituals. The family eventually arranged their return by paying an additional Tk 20,000 per person.

Another pilgrim, Zayed Al-Sami, said the group departed from Madinah airport at 7am Bangladesh time on Thursday aboard a Qatar Airways flight and arrived in Bangladesh at around 5:30pm.

Ismail Hossain Shah, a resident of Shah Para in Bakshichak, Saran Gopalpur, Ishwardi, said several members of the group were between 70 and 80 years old.

Some of the elderly pilgrims fell ill during the ordeal, leaving their relatives back home worried about their safety. Their safe return has now brought relief to their families, he added.

Ishwardi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Hasan Mohammad Shoaib said the administration had been regularly monitoring the situation of the stranded Umrah pilgrims through the Pabna district administration.

He confirmed that the group returned safely to Bangladesh on Thursday evening.

Ishwardi Umrah Pilgrims Bangladesh