Staff Reporter :
The pilgrims intending to perform Hajj under private management will have to pay minimum Tk4,63,744 which the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), an apex body of the Hajj agents, has fixed this year’s Hajj.
HAAB President M Shahadat Hossain Taslim announced the Hajj package at a press conference in Dhaka on Thursday.
The HAAB chief has also suggested the government to begin to carry Hajj passengers from June 10 instead of the prior fixed date of May 31.
He, however, claimed that no one of the Hajj agencies would be given any package lower than the package HAAB announced. But, they would be able to announce more packages including some special packages, which would be higher than the announced package, he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, the minimum cost under the government arrangement was fixed at Tk4,62,150, which is more than Tk1.02 lakh from the previous year of 2020.
But, the country’s pilgrims missed the chance to perform Hajj in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid 19 pandemic as the Saudi authorities didn’t allow any outsiders for performing Hajj those years.
Taslim reiterated HAAB’s demand to carrying all Bangladeshi pilgrims by dedicated Hajj flights instead of carrying them through the regular scheduled flights and beginning to carry pilgrims from June 10 instead of the prior fixed date of May 31.
“If the pilgrims are carries by regular scheduled flights, it wouldn’t be possible complete their pre-arrival immigration at Dhaka airport. It would create another hassle for the agencies. At the same time, they will need times to complete all procedures before sending a pilgrim for Hajj. It would be hard for the agencies to complete the procedure within May 30. So, the Hajj flights should be started from June 10,” Taslim said.
He also informed that the Hajj registration of the pilgrims will be completed only after receiving the Hajj fees. In the meantime, they will complete the intra-agency pilgrim’s replacement, appointment of Munajjems, house rent and visa processing. It’s a matter long time.
This year, a total of 57,585 pilgrims out of total 10 lakh, the Saudi Arabian government allowed this year, will be able to perform hajj from Bangladesh. Of those, some 4,000 pilgrims will go under the government arrangement while 53,585 under the private management.
“A package called ‘general package’ has been introduced for the pilgrims. Each agency will also be able to offer its own special package. But no package will be less than the minimum package price announced by HAAB, a platform of around 1,500 Hajj agencies,” Taslim added.
The accommodation will be provided for the pilgrims under the general package at a distance of 1,000 meters to 1,500 meters from the boundary of the outer side of Haram Sharif, he added.
According to the private Hajj package announced by HAAB, a Bangladeshi pilgrim will have to spend a minimum of Tk 4,63,744 for performing hajj under private agencies. It is around Tk 1,09,150 more than that of 2020.
However, the religious affairs ministry on Wednesday proposed a minimum Hajj package for the private management pilgrims which is Tk4,56,530.
The HAAB president said every Hajj pilgrim would have to pay an additional Tk19,683 for a ‘Qurbani coupon’ from the Islamic Development Bank in Saudi Arabia.
Taslim said they have announced the general hajj package after calculating the accommodation in Saudi Arabia, increased airfare, service charges, Muallem fees, Zamzam water, food costs and other fees.
This year’s Hajj would be performed on July 8 depending on sighting the moon.
