3 deals signed: BD Hajj pilgrims to get relief from baggage carrying

Kamruzzaman Bablu :
For the first time, Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims will not be required to carry their baggage by themselves in Makkah in Saudi Arabia during performing Hajj.
The Saudi concern service organization will reach the pilgrims baggage to their rented home (hotel) after receiving at Bangladesh airport.
Apart from, to ensure the hassle free bus services for pilgrims during performing Hajj in ‘Makkah-Mina-Arafah-Mozdalifa-Mina-Makkah’ route and a focal point with two members will be set to help and guide the pilgrims at Madina.
Regarding this issues, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) have been signed three Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) with Saudi Arab on Thursday and Friday. A three members representative team led by the State Minister for Religious Affairs Md. Faridul Haque Khan, Additional Secretary (Hajj) of the ministry Md. Matiul Islam, and HAAB President M Shahadat Hossain Taslim, signed the MoU separately with the Saudi authority.
“A detailed decision was taken regarding the smooth arrival of the baggage of the pilgrims from the Dhaka Airport to the hotel in Makkah. Under the ‘Makkah Route Initiative’ project, the Saudi authorities will take care of the baggage of the Bangladeshi pilgrims from Dhaka and after reaching the airport in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi United Agent will deliver all the baggage to the hotel of the pilgrims under their responsibility. No Hajj pilgrim has to handle the baggage himself with difficulty. This is a very good initiative to ease the suffering of elderly Hajj pilgrims,” M Shahadat Hossain Taslim, President of HAAB confirmed The New Nation over the phone on Saturday.
After a bilateral meeting with Shaher Al Mattar, Chairman of ‘United Agent or Al Wukalla’, the Saudi service organization will be responsible for delivering the baggage of pilgrims from the airport to the hotel, the documents were handed over, said Taslim.
 Ensure bus services for Pilgrims
The main formality of Holy Hajj is ‘Mashair Al Haram’ from 8 Zilhajj to 12 Zilhajj. During this period ‘Makkah-Mina-Arafa-Mozdalifa-Mina-Makkah’ route bus service provider Saudi Authority is  
‘Naqaba’ and Bangladeshi ministerial team also had a meeting with them. A detailed discussion and fruitful decision was taken regarding the very important bus service for pilgrims. The Saudi Naqaba authorities were called upon to ensure that adequate bus services for the Hajj pilgrims of Bangladesh at this time. In order to ensure adequate and smooth bus service including Jeddah-Makkah-Madinah and Mashair for 2023 Hajj pilgrims of Bangladesh in Saudi Arabia, decided to have 2 focal points each from Saudi and Bangladesh authorities during this period.
Bilateral meeting on services for pilgrims in Madinah
Rawza Mubarak of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Sm) in Madinah. Every pilgrim’s desire and cherished dream is to come to Madinah and offer Salam to the Prophet (Sm) with highest politeness, offer prayers in Masjid an-Nababi and its supreme dignity, Riyazul Jannah, and offer oneself to the Almighty Allah. Madina is a place of passion, reverence and love. All Hajj pilgrims of Bangladesh stay at Madinah for different periods before or after Hajj. A bilateral meeting of the Hajj delegation was held on 12 January with the Chairman of the Saudi Service authority ‘National Adilla’ which is responsible for overseeing the arrival, stay and departure of pilgrims to the city of Madinah. Both parties agreed on facilitating the process of arrival, stay and departure of Hajj pilgrims in Madinah and overall cooperation and some decisions were taken including fixing the focal point by two people. Pilgrims can stay at Madinah for any duration. There will be no obligation to stay in Madinah for a certain number of days.
Over 1,27,000 Bangladeshis will be able to perform Hajj this year and there will be no age limit for performing Hajj.