The government is making an all-out effort to make travel and easier for hajis next season.
Several agreements between the Saudi authority and Bangladesh would be signed on February 16 in this regard.
A five-member delegation of the Religious Affairs Ministry led by its Minister Principal Motiur Rahman and Secretary Kazi Habibul Awal will visit Saudi Arabia between February 14 and 22.
The minister will sign the hajj agreement fixing the numbers of Bangladeshi hajjis the authority would allow visas for performing hajj.
The delegation will fix the number by meeting with their Saudi counterpart.
Jahangir Alam, deputy secretary to the ministry’s hajj wing, told the Dhaka Tribune the ministry and Bangladesh hajj authority wanted to finish all procedures before March as the hajj packages would be announced this year within March 15.
The delegation that will visit Saudi Arabia will sign agreement on fixing up the number of pilgrims, moyallem fees and ensuring facilities for Bangladeshi hajis.
Several agreements would be signed with General Car Syndicate and Medina Adilla Office to ensure the transport facilities of hajjis.
Agreement will also be signed with the United Air Office for management of Bangladeshi hajis at Saudi Airport.
The deputy secretary yesterday said Bangladesh would propose the Saudi authority for permission of at least 130,000 Bangladeshi hajis to perform hajj for the next season.
The proposed hajj packages would be sent to the cabinet for approval after signing agreements with Saudi Arabia.
Despite having approval of sending 110,000 hajis to Saudi Arabia, the government finally sent 87,854 for performing hajj last year as the Saudi authority requested Bangladesh to reduce the number of hajis by 20%.
According to the ministry officials, the number of interested hajis was also less than other years due to national election, political unrest and restriction imposed by the Saudi authority.
A total of 109,660 hajis had performed hajj in 2012.
For the first time last year, the government had introduced two affordable hajj packages costing TK347,027 and Tk278,742. The hajis have to pay for sacrifice (qurbani) separately.