Govt reduces hajj package cost by Tk 11,725, extends registration time

The government reduced the hajj package cost by Tk 11,725 and extended the deadline for hajj registration by six more days to 27 March.

The ministry of religious affairs issued an urgent circular to this end on Wednesday.

It said the Saudi Arabian government has reduced the cost of four hajj packages under the government and the private management for Bangladesh and other countries and the registered pilgrims will receive the reduced money.

Pilgrims registered under the government management will receive a total of Tk 46,725 (Tk 35,000 for food cost and Tk 11,725 for reduced cost)– from the hajj office in Dhaka, it added.

Meanwhile, a religious affairs ministry official told Prtothom Alo a hajj package under the government management includes food cost and this money was returned to pilgrims before boarding the hajj flight and food cost was fixed at Tk 35,000 this year.

Pilgrims registered under the government management will be returned the food cost while hajj agencies manage food issues for pilgrims registered under the private management.

The government extended the deadline for hajj registration by six more days to 27 March from 21 March, according to this official. With the latest development, deadline for registration was extended for the fifth time.