• ‘Price of the Saudi Riyal has increased due to dollar price’
• Hajj package reduced by Tk92,000 compared to last year, says the minister
•
Religious Affairs Minister Faridul Haque Khan on Tuesday at parliament shed light on challenges surrounding the Hajj pilgrimage package.
Despite government efforts, the fluctuating exchange rates, particularly the high price of the US Dollar, have posed obstacles in fixing a lower Hajj package rate.
The minister said this while responding to a question from the independent lawmaker Moshiur Rahman Molla Sajal at the parliament session on Tuesday. The session was chaired by the Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury.
The minister explained how the rising cost of Saudi Riyal, coupled with increased expenses in accommodation and facilities in Makkah and Madinah, has impacted the overall cost of the pilgrimage. Despite attempts to mitigate these factors, the government found it challenging to reduce the Hajj package cost significantly.
Furthermore, Faridul Haque Khan elaborated on the efforts to manage the pilgrimage quota efficiently, highlighting Bangladesh’s status as the fourth-largest Hajj pilgrim-sending country globally. He detailed the adjustments made to the Hajj package in 2024, aiming to make it more accessible to pilgrims while acknowledging the persisting challenges posed by escalating costs and logistical constraints.
“In 2024, Bangladesh’s quota of pilgrims was 127,198. A general Hajj package worth Tk578,840 has been fixed for the Hajj pilgrim in 2024. To fill up a cent percent quota this time, the price of the hajj package has been reduced by Tk 92,450 compared to the Hajj of 2023,” said the minister.
Faridul Haque Khan also said that house rent expenses have increased a lot this year due to the demolition of houses and hotels in many areas in Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.
“Apart from this, the Meyallem fee including tent rent has increased in Mina and Arafa of Saudi Arabia. Due to all these reasons, despite the desire of the government, it was not possible to reduce the cost of Hajj,” he said.
In 2023, the government set Tk6,71,290 as the minimum cost for Hajj pilgrims under government management and Tk6,60,890 minimum under private management.
Source: dhakar tribune