Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh will commence its Hajj flights to Saudi Arabia on April 29, as visa processing for pilgrims is expected to be completed within the next few days, Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain announced on Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference at the Secretariat, the adviser confirmed that the government has finalised all arrangements for 5,200 pilgrims registered under the state management system.
These include the allocation of tents in Mina and Arafah, agreements with catering services, transport companies, and hotel or house authorities in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
However, the adviser voiced serious concern over the uncertainty surrounding the pilgrimage of 10,487 pilgrims traveling under private management. The issue stems from delays by several Hajj agencies in securing accommodation for 7,274 pilgrims in Makkah and 3,213 in Madinah.
“Due to a lack of commitment and responsibility from some Hajj agencies, the Religious Affairs Ministry is deeply concerned,” said Hossain. “We want to make it clear-if even a single pilgrim is unable to perform Hajj due to the negligence or irresponsibility of any agency, that agency will be held fully accountable. The ministry will not take responsibility for any such failure.”
This year, a total of 81,900 pilgrims from Bangladesh have registered through private Hajj agencies. Under Saudi regulations requiring a minimum number of pilgrims per agency, these individuals-registered under 753 agencies-will travel under the umbrella of 70 lead agencies.
As of Tuesday afternoon, accommodation arrangements had been completed for 74,626 pilgrims in Makkah and 78,687 in Madinah. However, rental requests for 1,126 pilgrims in Makkah and 1,067 in Madinah have yet to be submitted on the Saudi government’s Nusuk Maasar online platform.
The number of agencies that had not finalized rental agreements dropped from 21 to 9 in recent days, the adviser noted.
Officials from the Religious Affairs Ministry held a virtual meeting with agency representatives on April 7 to assess the situation.
The ministry has since issued letters and show-cause notices to agencies that have not completed required formalities, urging them to expedite the process in line with the Hajj roadmap set by the Saudi government, which mandates that all pilgrims must secure visas by April 18.
“We are continuously urging the agencies to submit house rental requests through the online platform,” said the adviser. “All agencies must complete the necessary procedures within the stipulated time to ensure that pilgrims can perform Hajj without any hindrance.”
With preparations now in their final stages, the government has emphasized both urgency and accountability to ensure a smooth and dignified Hajj experience for all Bangladeshi pilgrims.
