Govt announces Tk5.7 lakh general and Tk9.3 lakh special hajj packages

People planning to perform hajj under the government's management next year will have to spend a minimum of Tk5.79 lakh. 

The pilgrims will also have the option to choose a special hajj package at Tk9.36 lakh in 2024, State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan announced on Thursday (2 November).

The state minister said a total of 1,27,198 Bangladeshis will have the opportunity to perform hajj next year. Of them, 10,198 people will be able to make the trip under government management while the remaining 1,17,000 people can go through private agencies.

The 2024 hajj is expected to take place on 24 June or a day before or after.

Saudi Arabia will begin issuing visas to aspirant hajis for the pilgrimage from 1 March, while flights carrying hajis will start taking off from 9 May.

The state minister said the cost of the general hajj package has been reduced by Tk92,450 compared to last year. Airfare has been reduced by Tk2,997 to Tk1,94,800.

Meanwhile, Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Md Hamid Jamaddar said the hajj packages have been announced early as the government needs to inform Saudi Arabia about the number of pilgrims for next year.

He also said there would be no issues with flights like last time.

Also speaking on the occasion, M Shahadat Hossain Taslim, president of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), said the difference in costs between government and private hajj packages will be minimal.

The private sector will announce the package in a few days after taking into account other ancillary benefits, he said.