Bangladesh cuts Hajj airfares

Bangladesh cuts Hajj airfares
Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Houssain Kaikobad spoke at a press conference held at the Ministry of Religious Affairs in the Secretariat.

Online Desk

Published: 2026-07-21 18:20:23

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has officially announced the state and private management packages for the 2027 Hajj, setting the baseline cost for pilgrims at Taka 505,648 following a reduction in official airfares.

Under the updated framework, the government has introduced two public management packages alongside a single general option for private agencies.

Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Houssain Kaikobad confirmed that Hajj airfares have been reduced to Taka 130,000 following a personal intervention by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The figure represents a decrease of Taka 24,830 compared with the previous year and a significant drop from the Taka 167,820 charged in 2025.

Speaking at a news conference held at the ministry secretariat, the religious affairs minister reported that the 2026 pilgrimage season was concluded successfully, drawing formal praise from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah regarding Bangladesh's operational management.

The minister noted that the Saudi authorities have introduced structural reforms for the 2027 season to modernise service delivery. Accommodation, transport, catering, and tent services in Makkah and Madinah have been integrated into three streamlined options rather than four, with half-board catering now mandatory.

He explained that the administration is working to make Hajj arrangements more accessible, affordable, and expatriate-friendly, fulfilling core policy promises.

Under the new public tiering, Government Hajj Package 1 has been priced at Taka 615,263. This option includes accommodation within 1.5 kilometres of the Holy Haram in Makkah and in the central Markazi area of Madinah, along with Zone-2 tent access in Mina and organised catering.

The Government Hajj Package-2 is available at the lower rate of Taka 505,648. It provides hotel accommodation within three kilometres of the Holy Haram and up to 800 metres from Masjid-e-Nabawi in Madinah. Shuttle bus connections will be mandatory if lodging is located more than two kilometres from the Holy Haram.

For private travel operators, the general package price has been fixed at Taka 513,648. Private agencies must ensure lodging within three kilometres of the Haram and one kilometre of Masjid-e-Nabawi, with room occupancy capped at six pilgrims.

The minister warned that private operators will not be allowed to offer services below the official standards. Agencies must publish all package details on the national Hajj portal, with mandatory inclusion of compulsory sacrificial fees and catering costs.

Bangladeshi citizens residing abroad will be permitted to complete health screenings, receive vaccinations, and obtain visas in their host countries, enabling them to fly directly to Saudi Arabia.

Primary registration for the 2027 Hajj will open on 24 September 2026, requiring an initial deposit of Taka 250,000. Tentative schedules indicate that outward flights will begin on 8 April 2027, with the holy rites expected to commence on 15 May 2027.