The Ministry of Religious Affairs issued a special notification on Friday for those who want to go for Hajj this year.
According to the notification, only persons below the age of 65 years (according to the passport whose date of birth is July 1, 1957, and beyond) will be considered eligible for Hajj in 2022, reports BSS.
All the registered pilgrims in government and private management of 1441 Hijri or 2020 will get the opportunity to go for Hajj this year.
This year, a total of 57,856 pilgrims will be able to perform Hajj from Bangladesh.
If any registered elderly pilgrim above 65 years of age (according to the passport, whose date of birth is June 30, 1957, or earlier) in 2020 is interested to go for Hajj, he or she will get priority in zero quota.
In order to apply for a visa by completing the new registration process for Hajj in 2022 in the shortest possible time, several instructions have been given in the notification.
Also Read - Hajj flights to take off starting May 31
It is said in the notification that pilgrims of registered government management for the year 2020 will complete the package transfer from any of the registration centers within three working days of the announcement of the Hajj package for the year 2022.
Therefore, by adjusting the package price paid in 2020, the remaining amount of any package in 2022 will have to be deposited in Sonali Bank through a voucher.
Within three days of package transfer/registration, the government-managed Hajj pilgrims have to submit their passports at the Hajj office in Dhaka without any failure at their own risk.
Hajj pilgrims registered for the year 2020 under private management will have to quickly determine the package announced by their respective agencies (not below the minimum government management package) and undertake hajj pilgrimage activities with the help of the agency by paying the remaining amount.
Also Read - Over 57,000 Bangladeshis going for Hajj this year
In order to ensure registration, those who want to go for Hajj under both public and private management should check the validity of the passport and keep the valid passport ready till at least 4 January 2023.
Those whose passports have expired or need to renew will make their suitable passports on an urgent basis.
Hajj pilgrims have been asked to prepare multiple laminated copies of his/her Covid-19 vaccination certificate.
Pilgrims who have received the vaccine without registration or who do not have the vaccination information updated on the Surokkha app will need to receive the vaccination certificate by adding the information.
Also Read - State minister: People over 65 years barred from Hajj this year
For any information regarding Hajj, all are advised to contact the Hajj Office Call Center of Dhaka by dialing 09602666707.
If anyone needs to know any information about Hajj, he or she can contact Abul Kashem Muhammad Shaheen, the focal point deputy secretary (Hajj-1) of the Hajj section, by dialing his mobile number: 01720-209599 or via email at [email protected].
Hajj flights from May 31
Flights carrying Bangladeshi pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj will begin on May 31, according to the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry.
This year, the government has fixed Tk1.40 lakh as plane fare. Biman will carry 31,000 pilgrims on 75 dedicated flights.
Last year, altogether 58,745 pilgrims performed Hajj because of the Covid surge. Before the pandemic, some 2.5 million people used to travel every year to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.
According to Saudi Arabia’s Hajj and Umrah Ministry, 151,000 Muslims from Indonesia, the highest number, will be performing the pilgrimage this year.
The second-highest number of pilgrims to be allowed is from Pakistan with 81,132 people. A total of 79,237 people from India will be going to the Middle Eastern country for the pilgrimage.
Africa’s Angola has the lowest number of pilgrims with 23 Muslims.
