Saudi Hajj and Umrah Minister arrives tonight

Diplomatic Correspondent :
Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, is scheduled to visit Bangladesh for a two-day trip to explore new initiatives and enhance facilities for pilgrims visiting Makkah and Madinah.

The visit of the Saudi Minister after a decade to Bangladesh holds significant importance for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Foreign Ministry sources said.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Saudi Minister for Hajj and Umrah will be coming to Bangladesh from Pakistan.

This regional visit underscores its significance and importance, making it an essential trip. This marks Dr. Al-Rabiah’s first visit to Bangladesh.

No Hajj and Umrah minister from Saudi paid such visit in the last one decade, the sources said.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the Saudi Minister for Hajj and Umrah will arrive in Dhaka on the night of August 22 from Islamabad.

During his stay in Dhaka, he is scheduled to have a courtesy meeting with the President of Bangladesh, M. Sahabuddin.

Additionally, he will hold meetings with the Minister for Religious Affairs, Faridul Haque Khan, and the Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Mahbub Ali.

Furthermore, a meeting has been arranged with the Hajj agencies at the Basundhara Convention Center in Dhaka, where discussions on Hajj and Umrah-related apps and services will take place.

Dr. Al-Rabiah will inaugurate this fair.

During his visit, the Saudi Minister for Hajj and Umrah will discuss several important matters.

According to an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saudi Arabia has introduced some facilitations and initiatives regarding Hajj.

One of these initiatives is the “Initiative to Road Makkah.”

Under this initiative, immigration and luggage clearance for Hajj pilgrims are now processed in Dhaka.

The Minister will assess the implementation of the “Initiative to Road Makkah” during his visit.

Furthermore, the Foreign Ministry’s official mentioned that the Saudi government has made decisions regarding Umrah. However, details regarding these decisions have not been communicated through official channels.

Nonetheless, these matters will be discussed face-to-face during his visit.

The Saudi Minister intends to explain that individuals planning to perform Umrah will no longer need to visit agencies; instead, they can apply online.

He will provide comprehensive information on these matters during his discussions, the sources said.

Regarding the visit of Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, Religious Affairs Ministry’s Additional Secretary Matiul Islam stated that the Saudi Minister will visit to Dhaka’s Basundhara Convention Center to discuss Umrah-related ‘Nusuk apps’ and convene a meeting with Hajj agencies.

The app is primarily related to Hajj and Umrah automation. During Saudi Minister’s visit, Saudi officials intend to introduce the Hajj agencies in Bangladesh to the “Nusuk” app, he said.

This app is designed to facilitate easier access for the country’s residents to perform Umrah and Hajj.

The message they want to convey is how individuals can use the app to make the process of performing Umrah and Hajj more straightforward.

Often, registering for Umrah requires a lot of time and effort.

They will demonstrate how this app can potentially simplify this process, he said
According to Saudi Press Agency on Saturday, it has been reported that the Saudi Minister for Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, is traveling to Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The purpose of his visit is to discuss ways to further facilitate travel for Umrah performers from Pakistan and Bangladesh under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and to enhance their knowledge in religious and cultural domains.