Hajj cost increased to more than Tk one lakh

Staff Correspondent: Officially, two packages and one private package have been finalized for Hajj this year. According to the announced package, this time the pilgrimage will cost more than one lakh rupees per pilgrim.
The Hajj package was finalized at a meeting of the Executive Committee on Hajj Management at the Secretariat yesterday.
State Minister for Religion at the end of the meeting. Faridul Haque Khan briefed the journalist about the Hajj package.
He said that Tk 5 lakh 26 thousand 340 has been incurred in package-1 and Tk 4 lakh 62 thousand 150 in package-2 for Hajj. Besides, the cost of a package to go for Hajj under private management has been estimated at Tk 4 lakh 56 thousand 630. In the case of Package-1, the cost has increased by Tk one lakh 2 thousand 340, in case of Package-2, this time the cost has increased by Tk 1 lakh 2 lakh 150.
Due to the coronavirus epidemic, Bangladeshi pilgrims have not been able to perform Hajj for the last two years due to restrictions imposed by the Saudi government. The last Hajj pilgrims went to Saudi Arabia from Bangladesh in 2019. Although the package was announced in 2020, no one from Bangladesh could go for Hajj. At that time Tk 4 lakh 25 thousand was included in package-1 and Tk 3 lakh 80 thousand was spent in package-2. The cost of package-3 was estimated at Tk 3 lakh 15 thousand.
The state minister said a package of Tk 4,56,530 has been proposed for privately managed pilgrims. Privately managed Hajj agencies will be able to announce multiple packages in line with Government Management Package-1 and Package-2.
The state minister for Religious Affairs said that the holy Hajj will be held in Saudi Arabia on July 7 subject to the sighting of the moon. Will get.
Two packages for government management and one package for private management agencies have been proposed for 2022, calculating the airfare for pilgrims, house rent in Saudi Arabia, service charges, teacher fees, Zamzam water, food costs and other fees.
He said the Saudi government had delayed announcing the Hajj due to the Corona epidemic and had not yet received a statement from Saudi Arabia on the actual cost per capita, considering the potential cost. The proposed package has been approved at a meeting of the Executive Committee on Hajj Management.
In the case of Hajj package, the expenditure in Bangladesh period did not increase, the state minister said, adding that the exchange rate of Saudi Riyal was Tk 23 in 2020. Today the rate is Tk 24.30. This is also one of the reasons for the increase in package prices. In addition, 15 percent VAT, service charge tax has been included on all sectors in Saudi Arabia. The cost of mowing has doubled. House rents have risen. These factors are responsible for the increase in package prices. The third package was not kept this year.
He said that the pilgrims registered in any of the three packages of 2020 will have to complete the registration of 2022 by selecting the package-1 or package-2 announced for 2022 and transferring the package. In this case, the bank will immediately confirm the receipt of the transfer money package in the e-Hajj system of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Once the payment is confirmed, the pilgrim will be given his Pilgrim ID from the e-Hajj system.
He further said that if any quota is vacant, then in order to meet the remaining quota, the government can register within the time limit prescribed by the Hajj director in accordance with the pre-registration order. The registered Hajj pilgrims who do not complete the registration in 2022 or cannot go for Hajj by transferring the package in 2020, their Hajj registration will be canceled and they will get their money back as per the rules.
The state minister said that the pilgrims of Package-1 of government management will be within a maximum of 1000 meters from the boundary of Holy Haram Chattar and the pilgrims of Package-2 will be within a maximum of 1500 meters.
Faridul Haque Khan said that the agency will not be able to withdraw the money taken from the bank for the flight ticket. According to the number of pilgrims, the airlines will have to pay the amount directly through pay-order and the agency will not be able to withdraw the money received for various service charges and transportation in Saudi Arabia without sending it to Saudi Arabia through IBSN (International Bank Account Number).
This year, under the Route to Mecca Initiative, pre-arrival immigration from Saudi Arabia to Dhaka is planned to be completed by 100% of the pilgrims from Dhaka.
Each Hajj Agency can send a minimum of 100 and a maximum of 300 pilgrims. Hajj agencies will not be allowed to sell air tickets to any agency other than the Hajj Agency. No Hajj agency can be given more than 300 tickets under any circumstances.
One guide will be appointed for every 44 pilgrims, the minister said, adding that the Saudi government has been advised to reimburse the cost of Hajj pilgrims through Saudi Islamic Development Bank or other such banks approved by the Saudi government. For this, the pilgrim has to take an additional 610 riyals equivalent to Tk 19 thousand 83 of the package price.