Staff Reporter :
The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft Hajj Package-2020, fixing the minimum cost for an intending pilgrim at Tk 3.15 lakh under package-3 of the government.
According to the approved Package, pilgrims will have to pay Tk 4.25 lakh to avail package-1 and Tk 3.60 lakh in package-2 under the government management which is Tk 6500 and Tk 16,000 respectively more than the previous year.
Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam disclosed this at a press briefing at the Secretariat after the Cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
He said as per an agreement signed with the Saudi government, a total of 1,37,198 pilgrims can go to Saudi Arabia this year to perform hajj. Among them, 17,198 will go under government management and 1,20,000 would perform hajj under the private management.
Anwarul Islam said the government would send hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in three packages this year. The total cost of package-1 has been fixed at Taka 4,25,000, while the cost of the package-2 at Taka 3,60,000 and the package-3 at Taka 3,15,000.
In the past, the pilgrims went to perform hajj in two packages under the government management, he said, adding that a new hajj package of Taka 3,15,000 was proposed this year for the first time.
The Cabinet Secretary said the cost of hajj package-1 has been increased to Taka 6,500 this year, while Taka 16,000 goes up in the package-2. Noting that private hajj agencies can also send pilgrims to Saudi Arabia following the three packages, he said, adding that the hajj packages have been fixed following the distance of the pilgrims’ residences from the Haram Sharif.
Anwarul Islam said the hajj pilgrims, who will go for hajj under the package-1, will stay within 700 metres from the Haram Sharif, while pilgrims under package-2 will stay within 1,500 mertres and those under package-3 will be accommodated over 1,500 metres far from the Haram Sharif.
This year, the hajj agencies cannot withdraw the money, which will be deposited by pilgrims in their bank accounts for air tickets, he said.
The Cabinet Secretary said as per the number of hajj pilgrims, the money of air tickets must be sent to the airlines directly through the government pay-orders.
