Bangladesh has been allotted a quota of 127,198 pilgrims for the annual ritual. Of them, 10,198 can perform Hajj under government management and 117,000 under private management. Leaving 90,764 seats vacant, only 36,689 people have registered.   The government will extend the registration period for the third time to allow Bangladeshi pilgrims to perform Hajj this year.   The general Hajj package will cost Tk 578,840 and the special package Tk 936,320. Hajj will be performed in mid-June, depending on the sighting of the moon.   Officials at the religious affairs ministry say the registration deadline will likely be extended by a month in two phases.   Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and all Muslims are required to undertake it at least once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do so. For the pilgrims, it is a profound spiritual experience that wipes away sins, brings them closer to God and highlights Muslim unity.  

The holy Hajj formalities have begun on Sunday, june 25. The main activities of Hajj started in the morning, with the journey from Mecca and Mina. The throwing stones at the largest of three columns known as Jamarat will mark the end of Hajj on the 12th of Dhuʻl-Hijjah. The last flight for Hajj departed from Bangladesh on Saturday midnight. Group Captain Muhammed Kamrul Islam, the executive director of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, confirmed the matter that the final flight of Flynas Airline carrying the Hajj pilgrims has left for Jeddah. On Sunday, May 21, this year's Hajj pilgrimage began with the first Hajj flight of the Biman Bangladesh Airlines. The pilgrims are being transported by Biman Bangladesh, Saudia, and Flynas Airlines. Biman Bangladesh is carrying 61,151 pilgrims from Bangladesh, while the rest are being transported by Saudia and Flynas Airline. Biman Bangladesh Airline was operated the last Hajj flight on Thursday, june 22. The return Hajj flight of Biman will commence on Monday, July 03.

Nearly 2 million people are expected to take part in the Hajj pilgrimage — the biggest in years. It's also the first to take place without restrictions following the coronavirus pandemic. Millions of worshippers have reached Mecca — Islam's holiest city — for the biggest Hajj pilgrimage in years, despite the sweltering Saudi Arabian heat.  According to Saudi officials, nearly 1.5 million foreign pilgrims have arrived in the country so far for the annual pilgrimage.  Authorities have said that they expect the number of pilgrims in 2023 to reach pre-pandemic levels as this year's Hajj will be the first without the curbs imposed during the coronavirus pandemic. In 2019, close to 2.5 million people took part in the pilgrimage. COVID-19 regulations brought that number down to about 10,000 in 2020, then 60,000 in 2021 and 926,000 in 2022. "As the Hajj draws near, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia prepares... for the largest Islamic gathering in history," Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah said in a video posted by the ministry earlier this week. More pilgrims are expected to arrive before Hajj begins on Monday. Rabiah said 2 million people from over 160 countries will attend the rituals this year.  Meanwhile, on Friday, pilgrims in white robes and sandals were seen dotting the holy city as they came in on planes, buses and trains. The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and all Muslims with the means are required to undertake it at least once in their lives. 

Carrying 415 pilgrims the first Hajj flight leaves Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Saudi Arabia at 3.20am on Sunday, May 21. The flight which operate by the Biman Bangladesh Airlines to arrive Jeddah at 7:20am local time. Earlier on Friday, May 19, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Hajj Programme-2023 at the Hajj Office in the capital's Ashkona. This year, a total of 122,221 pilgrims are expected to perform the holy Hajj from Bangladesh.  Due to the covid-19 restrictions, last year the number of pilgrims from Bangladesh was 57,585. Before the pandemic, 127,198 people from Bangladesh performed Hajj in 2019.

Due to the pandemic Corona Virus throughout the world, Certain number of people got the opportunity to perform Hajj in the last three years.  However, since there is no such situation, there are no obstacles and rules. The cost of Hajj package has also been reduced compared to last year. According to Dr Amr bin Reda Al Maddah, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for Hajj and Umrah Services, said that pilgrims will have the opportunity to perform Hajj this year at 30 percent less cost than last year. Al Maddah said that about 90 percent of the "Economic Hajj Package" has already been sold. He said that the local pilgrims from Saudi Arabia can pay for the Hajj package in three installments. Those interested in Hajj must pay 20% within 72 hours of registration to secure the place. The next 40 percent must be paid by January 29 and the remaining 40 percent by April 23.

One thousand 174 hajj devotees have returned to Bangladesh so far after performing the hajj rituals in Saudi Arabia this year. The number of the devotees calculated till Thursday 2 am. Bangladesh hajj office in Saudi Arabia delivered the information. Meanwhile, 16 pilgrims died in Saudi Arabia this year while performing their hajj. Of them 11 are male and five are female. Mentionable, this year 60 thousand 146 hajj passengers were permitted to perform hajj by the Saudi Arabian authority from the country. The passengers went to perform hajj boarding on 165 flights including hajj management persons and representatives. Of them 30 thousand 363 passengers went to KSA through Biman Bangladesh Airlines flights, 23 thousand 919 passengers went on Saudi Arabian Airlines flights and five thousand 864 passengers went there by another airliner. AH     

Pilgrims began converging on the holy city of Mecca for the largest hajj since the COVID-19 pandemic. Coronavirus led organizers to severely curtail access to the site that is considered one of the five pillars of Islam.One million Muslims are visiting Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the first hajj since the coronavirus pandemic led authorities in the conservative nation to restrict access to the holiest site in Islam. Saudi authorities have permitted 850,000 visitors from abroad into the kingdom for the annual pilgrimage which starts on Wednesday, a major step towards normalcy following strict pandemic restrictions. The decision to do so comes after two years during which access to the site was limited to Saudi residents. The one million number of pilgrims from Saudi Arabia and abroad is still considerably fewer than the 2.5 million figure of those who traveled to the holy city in 2019. The hajj is considered one of the world’s largest events in terms of the number of participants. On Wednesday, those arriving carried umbrellas to block the 42 degrees Celsius (108 Fahrenheit) heat. What restrictions are in place on those making the hajj this year? In order to be eligible for the hajj this year, pilgrims must be under 65 years of age and vaccinated against the virus as well as have tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of travel. A lottery system was implemented this year, with millions applying online. Pilgrims to the hajj will not be required to wear masks or adhere to social distancing guidelines as was the case in the last two years. Prohibitions on touching or kissing the Kaaba, the black stone at the center of the holy site in Mecca, will remain, though. During the hajj, Muslims encircle and pray around the large cubic structure draped in golden-embroidered black cloth, in a ritual known as the tawaf. What have Saudi officials done to prepare for the hajj? On Wednesday, officials in Saudi Arabia inspected the holy site and stressed the country’s readiness as well as its goal of maintaining public health. In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, the Saudi authorities permitted only 1,000 people who were already residents of the kingdom to make the hajj. Last year, authorities restricted the hajj to just 60,000 fully vaccinated Muslim residents of Saudi Arabia. The unprecedented curbs on attendance devastated some Muslims who had spent years saving for the chance to make the pilgrimage to the most significant site in their faith. Officials in Saudi Arabia currently report over 500 new coronavirus infections per day. Over 70% of Saudis have been vaccinated. The Saudi Health Ministry said 23 hospitals and 147 health centers were available in Mecca and Medina for visitors. Saudi Arabia now allows women to attend the hajj unaccompanied by a male relative, after dropping the requirement last year. What does the hajj look like in normal times? Saudi authorities are keen to see the hajj return to the pre-pandemic normal. Pilgrims bring billions of dollars in income to the Arab state, the second highest source of income for Saudi Arabia after oil. According to the Koran, every Muslim of faith who is physically and financially able should make the hajj at least once in their lifetime. Five intense days of prayer and ritual await religious pilgrims in Mecca. The hajj traces the pilgrimage taken by Prophet Muhammad some 1,400 years ago. His path, in turn, is believed to trace the footsteps of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail, or Abraham and Ishmael as they are known to Christians and Jews.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (Friday) urged the hajj pilgrims to pray for divine blessings for the overall welfare of the country so that the journey of economic development of Bangladesh continues as well as people get decent lives. "My call to all of you (hajj pilgrims) is that you must pray for Bangladesh and its people so that the country may stay safe from the natural disasters and pandemics like Coronavirus . . . and we can take the economic and other development activities ahead further," she said. The premier said this while inaugurating Hajj Activities-2022 at Hajj Office in the capital as chief guest, joining the event virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban. Mentioning that her government has developed the hajj management using modern technology, Sheikh Hasina said, "It is our duty to arrange all the facilities so that those who are going to Saudi Arabia can perform hajj and worship properly." She called upon all to uphold the dignity of the very peaceful and holy religion, Islam.  “Islam is a very peaceful and holy religion and it is the best religion. So, it is the duty for all of us to maintain its dignity.”    Referring to Bangladesh's ongoing economic progress, the Prime Minister said "Please pray for the country so that we can move ahead in the development journey and every person can get foods, clothes, shelter, medicare and education, and thus an improved and decent life.”   She also asked the pilgrims to abide by the rules and laws of Saudi Arabia while performing their hajj rituals there. “It is the duty of all of us to uphold the country’s dignity. Keep it in mind,” she added. The first hajj flight, carrying 419 pilgrims, from Bangladesh is scheduled to depart for Saudi Arabia on Sunday next. As the Coronavirus situation is a little better, this year, the holy Hajj is going to be held (on July 08 depending on the moon sighting) with one million pilgrims from all over the world. Of them, 57,585 hajj pilgrims will be from Bangladesh. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, 127,198 pilgrims from Bangladesh performed hajj in 2019. The head of government exchanged pleasantries with the pilgrims and requested them to offer prayers for the people of Bangladesh and her family members who were brutally killed in 1975. With State Minister for Religious Affairs Md. Faridul Haque Khan, MP, in the chair, secretary of the ministry Kazi Enamul Hassan delivered welcome address. State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md. Mahbub Ali, Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Issa bin Youssef Al-Dahilan and Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) President M Shahadat Hossain Taslim also spoke. Source: BSS AH

This year's hajj packages under government and private management were announced today. State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haque Khan announced the packages at a press briefing at the secretariat in the capital. In the packages, the hajj pilgrims will have to pay Taka 4, 62,150 for hajj package under government management while Tk 4,56,530 under private management, a press release said. Meanwhile, Shahdat Hossain Taslim, leader of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), said that detailed information regarding the private package will be announced on Thursday. Source: BSS AH

Saudi Arabia said Saturday it will permit one million Muslims from inside and outside the country to participate in this year's hajj, a sharp uptick after pandemic restrictions forced two years of drastically pared-down pilgrimages. The hajj ministry "has authorised one million pilgrims, both foreign and domestic, to perform the hajj this year," it said in a statement. One of the five pillars of Islam, the hajj must be undertaken by all Muslims with the means at least once in their lives. Usually one of the world's largest religious gatherings, about 2.5 million people took part in 2019. But after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Saudi authorities allowed only 1,000 pilgrims to participate. The following year, they upped the total to 60,000 fully vaccinated citizens and residents chosen through a lottery. This year's hajj, which will take place in July, will be limited to vaccinated pilgrims under age 65, Saturday's announcement said. Those coming from outside Saudi Arabia will be required to submit a negative Covid-19 PCR result from a test taken within 72 hours of travel. The government wants to promote pilgrims' safety "while ensuring that the maximum number of Muslims worldwide can perform the hajj", Saturday's statement said. - Easing restrictions - The hajj consists of a series of religious rites that are completed over five days in Islam's holiest city, Makkah, and surrounding areas of western Saudi Arabia. Hosting the hajj is a matter of prestige for Saudi rulers, as the custodianship of Islam's holiest sites is the most powerful source of their political legitimacy. Before the pandemic, Muslim pilgrimages were key revenue earners for the kingdom, bringing in some $12 billion annually. The restrictions in 2020 and 2021 stoked resentment among Muslims abroad who were barred. The kingdom of approximately 34 million people has so far recorded more than 751,000 coronavirus cases, including 9,055 deaths, according to health ministry data. In early March it announced the lifting of most Covid restrictions including social distancing in public spaces and quarantine for vaccinated arrivals, moves that were expected to facilitate the arrival of Muslim pilgrims. The decision included suspending "social distancing measures in all open and closed places" including mosques, while masks are now only required in closed spaces. Source: AFP/BSS AH