Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday inaugurated the Hajj Programme of 2018 (1439 Hijri) urging everybody to remain careful of stopping spreading confusion about Islam.
“We must keep religion above all in every sphere of our life and we have to uphold the main teachings of Islam before the people,” she said.
The prime minister said Islam is the only religion which preaches mostly for peace and welfare of the people. But some people are out to interpret the teachings of the religion in a different way, causing problem to whole Muslim community across the world.
Minister for Religious Affairs Matiur Rahman presided over the inauguration programme at Ashkona Hajj Camp in the capital, reports BSS.
Sheikh Hasina said since her return to home in 1981 from exile she has been making constant efforts for welfare of the people and materialise the dream of Bangabandhu to build a poverty and hunger free country.
Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism AKM Shajahan Kamal, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Religious Affairs Bazlul Haque Harun, Sahara Khatun, MP, Charge-d’ Affaires of Saudi embassy in Dhaka Amir Omar Salem were present as special guests.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina exchanged pleasantries with the pilgrims and wished their safe return after performing all the Hajj rituals.
She requested the Hajjis to offer prayers for Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his family members and others who were brutally killed on the fateful night of August 15, 1975.
Bangabandhu established the Madrasa Education Board and prohibited wine, gambling and horserace and introduced the provision of Azan in the state media.
Sheikh Hasina said her government is trying its best to resolve the problems relating to Hajj management system saying the situation was better in the last few years.
“I myself wrote to Saudi King many times requesting him to look into those difficulties,” she said adding that the Saudi government took many measures in response to those requests to facilitate the pilgrims.
She said her government has shifted the Hajj Office to Mecca from Jeddah and hired a plaza in the terminal for convenience of the pilgrims.
Six aircraft for the national flag carrier were procured for transportation of the pilgrims while two more will join the fleet very soon, she said.
The prime minster urged the Hajjis to follow the instructions mentioned in the booklet during their stay in Saudi Arabia for their safety and convenience.
A total of 1,26,798 Muslims from Bangladesh would perform Hajj this year including 6,798 under government management. The first flight of pilgrims is scheduled to leave Dhaka Saturday next.
