State Minister of Religious Affairs Faridul Haq Khan said the government decided not to provide more than 300 tickets to Hajj agencies each across the country this year. 

A private agency will be required to send at least 100 pilgrims and at most 300 pilgrims this year, he said after a meeting of the executive committee on hajj management at the Secretariat in the capital.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs on Wednesday (May 11) proposed two government-approved Hajj packages apart from the package under private management.

Package-1 and package-2 will cost Tk5, 27,340 and Tk4, 62,000 respectively, the minister said.

In comparison to the cost in 2020, the price of government-approved package-1 has increased by Tk1, 02,340 and the price of package-2 has increased by Tk1, 02,150.

Besides, the government proposed Tk 4, 56,530 hajj packages this year under private management -- around Tk94, 730 more than that of 2020.

Regarding the increase of Hajj package prices, the state minister said out the increased Saudi Riyal exchange rate as one of the primary causes. 

Moreover, the Saudi government has imposed a 15% VAT, tax and service charge on all sectors, while the house rent and other costs have also gone up significantly, Khan added.

If moon sighted, the Hajj programme will be held on July 8 (Jilhaj 9).
 

BDST: 2017 HRS, MAY 11, 2022
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