The cabinet approved on Monday the draft Hajj Package, 2018, fixing the minimum cost for a pilgrim at Tk 3,97,929, reports UNB.
The cost is up by Tk 16,421 from the previous year's cost under the package-1 of the government management.
Held at the Prime Minister's Office with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, the cabinet also endorsed the draft of the National Hajj and Umrah Policy, 2018, placed by the Religious Affairs Ministry.
At a press briefing after the meeting, cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said a total of 1,27,198 pilgrims from Bangladesh will be able to perform hajj this year.
Of them, 7,198 will perform hajj under the government management and 1,20,000 under private management, he said.
"The total cost under the hajj package-1 of the government management will be maximum Tk 397,929, while that under the hajj package-2 of the government management will be Tk 3,31,359," he said.
The costs under the package-1 and 2 were Tk 3,81,508 and Tk 3,19,355 respectively in 2017, Shafiul Alam said.
The minimum cost for a pilgrim who will perform hajj under the private arrangement has been fixed at Tk 1,68,277 excluding the house rent in Saudi Arabia and some other costs.
The hajj agencies will announce their package incorporating house rent and some other costs in the package, the cabinet secretary said.
