Govt to unveil hajj package today

The government is set to announce the hajj package for the next year today.
The cost of the hajj package is expected to be slightly lower compared to that of the immediate past hajj (2025) package.
A senior official at the ministry of religious affairs said that they are likely to announce the package today as they have already ended consultations with the ministry of civil aviation and tourism and other stakeholders.
According to him, airfares on the Dhaka-Jeddah-Dhaka or Dhaka-Medina-Dhaka routes are likely to be reduced. Sources at the religious and civil aviation ministries hinted that the airfare for the next hajj is  likely to be between Tk 1,55,000 and Tk 1,60,00, about Tk 8,000 to Tk 10,000 lower than the previous rates.
Under government management, there will be three hajj packages for Bangladeshi pilgrims intending to perform hajj next year, compared to two during the previous hajj. On the other hand, there will be only one package under private management.
The religious ministry official further noted that the hajj agencies wouldn't be allowed to announce packages below the government-declared rates.
During the last hajj season under government management, Package 1 cost was Tk 0.478 million (Tk 4,78,242) while Package 2 was Tk 0.575 million ( Tk 5,75,680).
The lowest hajj package cost under private management was Tk 0.473 million (Tk 4,83,156). The hajj agencies had fixed their packages keeping it as the benchmark price.
The official further said that the cost of government hajj Package 2 might increase this time as some facilities will be included.
However, the cost of Package 1 is likely to be reduced slightly, he added.
Earlier, the Saudi government as part of its roadmap has asked the Bangladesh government to complete all preparations much earlier for the next hajj.
A total of 1,27,198 Bangladeshi people could perform hajj under both government and private management next year.
Subject to the sighting of the moon, the upcoming hajj is likely to be held in the last part of May next year.
As per the Saudi government decision, the intending hajj pilgrims must complete their registration by October 12 this year. They must pay their hajj package prices by the deadline.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com