DHAKA, Jan. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Eleven Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims were confirmed dead in Thursday's stampede at Mina, east of Macca in Saudi Arabia, while performing the last rites of the hajj and 11 others were still missing.

    Local private television channel ATN Bangla and the informationcell of Bangladesh hajj camp in Dhaka said Saturday that 11 persons were confirmed dead in the stampede and as many Bangladeshi pilgrims were missing. Of the 11 dead, seven went to Saudi Arabia from Bangladesh to perform hajj and four others were Bangladeshis working in that country.

    The ATN Bangla confirmed the deaths after talking to an official of the Bangladesh hajj delegation in Macca by telephone.

    "It is confirmed that 11 Bangladeshi pilgrims were dead and we have counted them in the morgue. We are preparing now to collect the bodies from the morgue and bury those in Saudi Arabia," the official told the television.

    The information cell said they received a mail confirming the deaths from Hajj Mission of Bangladesh in Macca on Saturday. All the dead and missing pilgrims were males.

    The cell also said two more Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims who were injured in the stampede were getting treatment in hospital.

    Bangladesh, the third largest Muslim country, had sent 54,000 hajj pilgrims to perform the holy hajj this year.

    At least 2 million Bangladeshis work in Saudi Arabia, many of whom perform the annual hajj every year.

    According to the Saudi interior minister, the death toll from Thursday's stampede has risen to 363 while over 280 people were injured.

    Thursday's stampede was the second fatal incident in this year's hajj. Earlier this month, a hostel housing pilgrims collapsed in Mecca, leaving over 76 people dead and scores of others injured. Enditem