Govt fixes minimum cost for hajj Tk 344,000

Muslim pilgrims pray around the holy Kaaba at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca 27 September, 2014. Photo: Reuters
Muslim pilgrims pray around the holy Kaaba at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca 27 September, 2014. Photo: Reuters

The cabinet on Monday approved the draft hajj package-2019, fixing the minimum cost for a pilgrim at Tk 344,000, Tk 24,645 up from the previous year under package-2 of the government management, reports UNB.

Pilgrims have to pay Tk 418,500 to avail package-1 under the government management.

Cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam 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.

The minimum cost for a pilgrim who will perform hajj under private arrangement has been fixed at Tk 344,000.

A total of 127,198 pilgrims will be able to perform hajj from Bangladesh this year. Of them, 120,000 will go to Saudi Arabia under private management while 7,198 under government management, said Shafiul.

The plane fare has been fixed at Tk 128,000 which was Tk 138,191 last year, he said.

The cabinet secretary said the intended hajj pilgrims will must have physical and financial capacities and have to be mentally sound to perform hajj.

In case of replacement of a person by another in the pre-registration process, the approval of former person will be required this year, he said.

This year, the authenticity of possible hajj pilgrims' passports will be verified through National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) for the first time, Shafiul added.

Besides, the cabinet gave the final approval to the drafts of three bills -- 'Representation of the People Order (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Animal Welfare Bill, 2018 and Bangladesh Veterinary Council Bill, 2018.