Bangladesh Haj pilgrims go high-tech

Bangladesh Haj pilgrims will have their mobile phones equipped with Google maps and other interactive software to guide them during Haj this year.
Asad Al-Zaman, Haj consul at the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah, told Arab News on Tuesday that the mission has a 24-hour help desk backed up by a professional information technology team.
He said the mission sends out SMSs regularly on important health and other matters.
Al-Zaman said 90,002 pilgrims from Bangladesh intend to perform Haj this year. Around 80,500 pilgrims have arrived, while the remaining are expected on Wednesday, the last date set for foreign pilgrim arrivals.
Al-Zaman said that 199 flights arrived up until Monday, with Saudi Arabian Airlines operating 104 flights and Bangladesh's national carrier 95 flights.
He said that 88,392 pilgrims are performing Haj through private agencies, with 1,610 pilgrims sponsored by the government. There are 628 Haj agencies in Bangladesh.
Al-Zaman said his country’s 160-strong Haj medical team treated 26,750 pilgrims in the holy cities. Authorities have said that 25 Bangladeshi pilgrims have died, 16 in Makkah, seven in Madinah and two in Jeddah.