Staff Reporter :Bangladeshi Muslims intending to perform Hajj in 2015 may register their names through online from December 15 for 46 days, according to a government decision.The pilgrims will find the registration forms on the ministry’s website or they can apply manually.The Hajj package will cost Tk 2,96,000 and Tk 3,54,745 for ‘A’ and ‘B’ categories respectively.The decision came from an inter-ministerial meeting chaired by Religious Affairs Minister Principal Matiur Rahman on November 26, Deputy Secretary (Hajj) of the Ministry Jahangir Alam said.”The Saudi government in a letter has requested us to complete the registration of the Hajj pilgrims by January 21-22, 2015,” Jahangir Alam said adding that the request was discussed at the inter-ministerial meeting on Hajj management on November 26.The secretary also said the Saudi government every year fixes a quota for Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims but according to a new agreement, every registered pilgrim only can go for Hajj from the next year.An agreement will be signed in the first week of February, 2015, as per the Saudi government’s directive, while the registration of Hajj pilgrims will begin in the last week of February.Jahangir Alam said that the Hajj agencies across the country have to open accounts in the banks of Saudi Arabia to pay the house rent.Saudi government started the system of applying through online a year ago, but the hajjis of Bangladesh failed to enjoy the facility as the ministry could not update its website at that time.Jahangir also informed that the Saudi government will send Bangladesh government a list of Hajjis who have not returned to Bangladesh after performing hajj last time.
