Bangladesh has failed to meet its hajj quota this year for the first time due mainly to higher costs of hajj packages.
Out of the country’s quota of 127,198 people this year, a total of 3,500 are yet to register.
State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan said even though the hajj quota remains unfulfilled, it will not have any major impact on the next year’s hajj.
Mr Khan was talking to the media after launching ‘e-hajj mobile app’ and ‘hajj and umrah guide’ at the ministry on Wednesday.
This year the government extended the hajj registration deadline nine times but could not fulfil the quota due to costlier hajj packages. A Bangladeshi pilgrim will have to spend around Tk 8-9 lakh on an average to complete all the formalities of hajj this time around. Therefore, many intended pilgrims find it difficult to perform hajj.
As per an agreement with Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh was allowed to send 127,198 hajj pilgrims this year.
Of the total, 112,198 pilgrims can perform hajj under the private arrangement, while 15,000 through the government management following the registration.
Depending on the sighting of the moon, the holy hajj will be held on July 27 (09 Jilhajj).
The hajj registration started on February 08. Later, the registration time was extended eight times due to not fulfilling the country’s designated quota.
Later, the government opened a one-day special opportunity for hajj registration on April 25 (Tuesday). But despite this effort, the hajj quota remained unfulfilled.
Speaking on the ‘e-hajj mobile app’, State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haque Khan said the app will help perform pre-registration and get the reimbursement of pre-registration funds.
Besides, the app will contain different information about the religious affairs ministry. The hajj pilgrims will also be able to create vouchers through this app.
The state minister said new services will gradually be included in the app.
President of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) M Sahadat Hossain Taslim said that a total of 110,000 pilgrims have registered to perform hajj this year under the private management against the allocated quota of 112,198 people.
Taking into consideration the number of guides and moallem, and intending hajj pilgrims, the number of designated private hajj quota seems to be fulfilled, he said.
Not only Bangladesh but also many countries, including Pakistan, Indonesia, are likely to return the hajj quota this year.
Religious Affairs Secretary Kazi Enamul Hasan, among other high officials, was present at that time.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com
