The government on Wednesday announced two cost-effective Hajj packages for pilgrims in 2025, reducing expenses by more than Tk 1 lakh compared with the previous year.
Ministry of Religious Affairs adviser AFM Khalid Hossain announced the 鈥楬ajj Package 2025鈥� at a press briefing after the package was finalised at a meeting of the executive committee on Hajj management affairs.聽
Under the package, the minimum cost for the General Package-1 under the聽 government arrangement is set at Tk 4,78,242 for 2025, which was Tk 5,78,840聽 in 2024.
The cost for the General Package-2 under the government arrangement is set at Tk 5,75,680, while the government has decided not to offer the special Hajj package in 2025, which charged Tk 9,36,320 in 2024.
One includes accommodations within 1鈥�1.5km of the Holy Kaaba, while the other offers lodging within 2.5鈥�3km. Both packages provide transportation and quality accommodation.
The ministry, however, said that pilgrims would be able to get staying facilities with two, three, or four bedrooms or in hotels in Mecca and Medina, as well as the facilities of a package with short durations by paying extra fees.
Besides, the price of private general Hajj package managed by private Hajj agencies has been set at Tk 4,83,156, while the agencies have been permitted to offer additional special packages.
About the cost reduction this year, the religious adviser mentioned several reasons, including reduction in air fares by about Tk 27,000.
He also said that the costs were high if accommodations were arranged within 1鈥�1.5km of the outskirts of the Haram Sharif in the Holy Mecca.
This time the accommodations were arranged within three kilometres of the outskirts of Haram Sharif, he added.
He also said that the government would not allow any guest except people related to Hajj management in 2025 at the government expenses as was the practice in the past years.
Around 71 people, including retired secretaries, sitting judges, politicians, and civil servants, performed Hajj at government expenses in 2024 in which they only paid the air fares. The government had to pay around Tk 3 crore for them.
According to the announcement, the 2025 hajj is expected to take place on June 5, based on the sighting of the moon.
A total of 1,27,198 Bangladeshis will have the opportunity to perform the hajj in 2025 as in 2024.
Secretary of the religious affairs ministry A Hamid Jamaddar said that so far 75,533 people had pre-registered to perform Hajj, while 9,269 people have completed their registration.
The registration would be open till November 30, he added.
The adviser at the press conference also said that every hajj aspirant would have to take Saudi Riyal 40,750 with them for food and sacrificial animals.
Under the government packages, bigger rooms would be available by paing extra amount, he also added.
A guide would be assigned to every 46 pilgrims. Each pilgrim must carry a minimum of Saudi Riyal 40,000 for meals and an additional Saudi Riyals 750 for sacrifice animals.
The Religious Affairs Adviser emphasised that the ministry worked to provide services, not to generate profit.
The Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh, a platform of private hajj agencies, will announce hajj packages for those who want to perform the hajj under private management.
A notice issued by the ministry on October 24 reads that initial Hajj registration will remain open until November 30.
In 2025, Saudi Arabia has set Bangladesh鈥檚 Hajj quota at 1,27,198 pilgrims.
Once this quota is reached, the initial registration process will automatically close.