Online registration for hajj-goers from Dec 15-Jan 30

Bangladeshi Muslim devotees intending to perform hajj next year will have to register their names online from December 15 to January 30, according to a government decision.
The decision came from an inter-ministerial meeting chaired by Religious Affairs Minister Principal Matiur Rahman on November 26, deputy secretary (Hajj) of the ministry Jahangir Alam told UNB.
“The Saudi government in a letter has requested us to complete the registration of the Hajj pilgrims by January 21-22, 2015,” Alam said addressing that the request was discussed at the inter-ministerial meeting on hajj management on November 26 and it was decided that hajj registration will take place from December 15 this year to January 30.
The secretary also said the Saudi government every year fixes a quota for Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims but, according to a new agreement, every registered pilgrim can go for hajj from the next year.
An agreement will be signed in the first week of February, 2015, as per the Saudi government’s directive, while the registration of hajj pilgrims will begin in the last week of February.
The hajj package will cost Tk 2,96,000 and Tk 3,54,745  for a ‘A’ and ‘B’ categories respectively.
Jahangir Alam said hajji pilgrims will find the registration form on the ministry’s website or they can apply manually.
The hajj agencies across the country have to open bank accounts in the banks of Saudi Arabia to pay the house rent.
Saudi government started the system of applying online a year back, but the hajjis of Bangladesh failed to enjoy the facility as the ministry could not update its website at that time.