Bangladesh has hiked the prices of Hajj packages arranged through the government or through private agencies by another Tk 59,000. The decision comes just 10 days before the trips are to start.
The hike was linked to "costs rising at the Saudi Arabian end of the journey", said State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan.
The new rate for the government’s package-1 is set at Tk 586,340 per person and package-2 is Tk 521,150 per person, reports bdnews24.com.
“The previously announced prices were based on estimates of the costs in Saudi Arabia. Now, the Saudi Arabian government has informed us of the cost. That is why we had to adjust the Hajj prices.”
After two years of pandemic closure, 57,585 Bangladeshis will be able to make the Hajj pilgrimage this year. Of this group, 4,000 will go through government arrangements, while 53,585 will go through private agencies.
On May 11, Khan said that the government’s Hajj package-1 would cost 527,340, while package-2 would cost Tk 462,150.
The minimum price for private packages was set at Tk 466,750. In addition, it was announced that each pilgrim would have to take an additional 410 Saudi riyals or Tk 19,683 for the Qurbani sacrifices.
In 2020, Bangladesh announced three government packages for Hajj trips, though the trips were eventually cancelled due to the pandemic.
The first package cost Tk 425,000, the second Tk 360,000 and the third Tk 315,000. The minimum price of Hajj trips through private agencies was set at Tk 358,000.
Hajj this year will begin on Jul 8, subject to the sighting of the moon.
Bangladesh had planned to send Hajj flights to Saudi Arabia starting May 31, but delays at the Saudi Arabia end have pushed the date back to Jun 5, according to State Minister Khan.
