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50 Umrah pilgrims stranded in Saudi amid flight disruptions
Published : Wednesday, 14 October, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Observer Online Report
Fifty Umrah pilgrims from Ishwardi in Pabna have been stranded in Saudi Arabia after flight operations were disrupted following an attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
The pilgrims were scheduled to return home on Tuesday, October 13, after performing Umrah. However, the disruption has left them uncertain about when they can return to Bangladesh.
Their accommodation has also become a concern as their scheduled stay at a hotel in Makkah has expired. With food and lodging arrangements uncertain, several pilgrims have fallen ill and been admitted to hospital.
The stranded group includes men, women, children and elderly people aged between 70 and 80. Their families are particularly worried about the health and safety of elderly and sick members.
Mohammad Abu Raihan, a *muallim* from Ishwardi who is in Saudi Arabia, said the 50 pilgrims were scheduled to return on Tuesday. However, operations were suspended following the attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, leaving them stranded.
As their hotel bookings had expired, they were now struggling to find alternative accommodation, he added.
Sagar Sardar, a resident of Saragopalpur village in Ishwardi municipality, travelled to Saudi Arabia with his family to perform Umrah.
He said he had gone with his mother, wife and two children, but the airport attack disrupted their plans just as they were preparing to return home. He added that adequate food and accommodation were not available, leaving his family in a difficult situation.
Pilgrim Ismail Hossain said several elderly men and women were among the stranded group, and some had fallen ill. Finding new accommodation had become difficult, while uncertainty over their return continued.
Meanwhile, restrictions imposed following attacks on airports in Saudi Arabia have disrupted 82 direct and transit flights involving Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh, affecting around 13,000 passengers.
According to the latest information from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), the affected flights include 32 direct and 50 transit flights, involving 13,071 passengers. CAAB is monitoring the situation and working with the airlines to reschedule flights.
Bangladesh Biman Airlines has suspended all flights from Dhaka to Dammam and Riyadh until October 17, citing passenger safety concerns.
Ishwardi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Hasan Mohammad Shoaib said the administration was monitoring the situation through the Pabna district administration. He expressed hope that the crisis would be resolved soon.
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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Online: email: [email protected] 41053014; 01550707297 Advertisement: 01550707296
