Cabinet nods Hajj Package-2013

The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of the ‘Hajj Package 2013’ with two alternative packages under the government management for pilgrims with different paying capacity.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 11 March 2013, 10:16 AM
Updated : 11 March 2013, 10:25 AM

The approval was given at a regular meeting of the Cabinet with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Cabinet Secretary M Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan briefed reporters after the meeting.

Under the proposed Hajj Package 2013, a total of 127,198 pilgrims will be able to perform hajj this year.

Excluding the cost of slaughtering of sacrificial animals, the new hajj package fixed Tk 347,027 as the maximum cost for each pilgrim under the first package and Tk 278,742 under the second package.

Asked about the difference in fees between the two packages, he said excepting the house rent, the expenditures for other advantages would remain unchanged.

Bhuiyan said the pilgrims under the first package would have to pay Tk 150,591 for lodging and other necessary expenditures while those opting for the second package would need Tk 83,790 for the same purposes.

In addition to the above expenditure, each pilgrim would have to carry around 450 Saudi Riyal in cash for animal sacrifice (Korbani).

The plane fare for both packages has been fixed at Tk 122, 827, which was Tk 123, 620 last year.

The Secretary said that the amount was fixed on the basis of US dollar price (1 US$ = Tk 80.50), and the estimated cost of air ticket fare could be increased or decreased as per the dollar rate.

He said that out of the total 127,198 pilgrims, 10,000 persons will be able to perform hajj under the government arrangement and 117,198 persons under the arrangements of the private hajj agencies.

The private hajj agencies (non-ballotee) would not charge less fees than the amount of the government packages, he said.

Bhuiyan said that the Cabinet also gave its final approval to the draft Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Bangladesh Bill, 2013.

Besides, the meeting approved a proposal for amending the ‘Rules for the Administration of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, 1900’ for handing over the authority of Controlling Jum Cultivation and Collection of Jum Tax to Zila Parishad chairmen from deputy commissioners.

Also, the Cabinet was informed about the Home Minister’s visit to India, Malaysia and Italy.