Religious Affairs Minister Matior Rahman on Monday said this year the pilgrims would be able to perform the Hajj in better way than last year as they were already finished with all the preparation for the annual pilgrimage.
He made the claim while talking to reporters after a meeting, over the preparation of this year’s Hajj management, held at the Secretariat in Dhaka.
This year, a total of 126,798 Bangladeshi pilgrims will go to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam.
Of them, 6,798 will travel under the government’s management and 120,000 under private management, the minister said.
The Hajj, biggest congregation of the Muslims of the world, is likely to be held on August 21 this year based on moon sighting, he added.
Matior said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the Hajj Program-2018 at the Hajj Camp in the capital's Ashkona area on July 11.
The pilgrims will travel through 528 Hajj agencies and the first flight carrying the pilgrims will leave Dhaka for Saudi Arabia on July 14. The Hajj flights will continue till August 15.
The return Hajj flights are scheduled to begin from August 27 and will continue till September 25, said the minster.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines will carry 64,967 pilgrims through 187 flights, and 61,831 pilgrims will travel to Saudi Arabia through 188 flights of Saudi Airlines this year, he said.
Already 6,114 pilgrims under government management and 13,400 under private managements have received their visas, Matior added.
To this regard, Biman has sold 52,000 tickets and Saudi Airlines 46,755 tickets so far, Acting Religious Affairs Secretary Anisur Rahman said.
He also urged the pilgrims to conduct four medical tests – blood, sugar, x-ray and ECG – before they leav for the Hajj.
Prof Dr Sania Tahmina, director of Disease Control Unit and line director at the Directorate General of Health Service, said the pilgrims can take the tests at both state-run and private hospitals.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry’s Acting Secretary Mohibul Haque said as per Saudi Arabia’s directives there will be no additional flights this year. “It is imperative that the pilgrims travel on their scheduled flights.”
According to Saudi authorities, 2.5 million Muslims from across the world had performed the Hajj last year.
