About 9,000 pilgrims who booked their seats for Hajj flights by a private tour operator-- Air Bangladesh remained stranded for the fifth consecutive day as it failed to operate any of its scheduled flights till yesterday.

The company was to start its Hajj flights from Monday last but it failed.

It gave two schedules for a flight yesterday-- 2 pm and 4-30 pm. But the flight did not take place as its chartered Tri-Star aircraft due to land at Zia International Airport (ZIA) at 10 am did not arrive.

The company, a subsidiary of Shahjalal Aviation, earlier said it had chartered the aircraft with a capacity to carry 360 passengers from a Jordanian company, The Universal Air.

It had booked pilgrims for Hajj flights without bringing the aircraft to Dhaka and also without obtaining landing rights from the Saudi Arabian authorities or over flight rights form the Indian authorities, civil aviation sources said.

Airport inquiry at ZIA said they were told by the company that the aircraft was stuck at Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu state of India, where it landed on

its way to Dhaka yesterday.

But no one could be contacted at the company office despite repeated efforts.

Civil aviation sources said they served a notice on Air Bangladesh to explain why it failed to operate flights. The matter would come for a review at a meeting tomorrow.

They also asked the company to make alternate arrangements for Hajj flights.

State Minister for Civil Aviation Mir Nasiruddin visited the Hajj camp near ZIA yesterday and told the stranded pilgrims that proper action would be taken against the company. He also assured them that alternative arrangements would be made so that they can perform Hajj, camp sources said.

Meanwhile, several hundred pilgrims are awaiting their promised flights by two other private operators.

The authorities arranged alternative flights by other airlines for a section of them.