The Saudi government has allocated a quota of 127,198 pilgrims from Bangladesh for Hajj 2025, the same as in previous years.
However, the initial registration period, which ended on December 26, fell short of this target. A total of 83,587 people registered, 1,670 fewer than last year’s final tally. Officials fear the number may decrease further during the final registration.
According to the Hajj portal, of the 83,587 registrants, 4,980 chose the government-managed channel, while 78,547 opted for private arrangements. The government has urged registrants to complete the final registration by January 15 to ensure timely submission of the quota to Saudi authorities.
Deputy Secretary of the Hajj Division, Mamun Al Farooq, confirmed on December 27 that the initial registration period would not be extended further.
The cost for private Hajj packages, including food, has been set at Tk 523,000 for the general package and Tk 699,000 for the special package. Additionally, pilgrims must carry 750 Saudi riyals for qurbani.
For government-managed Hajj, the airfare has been reduced by Tk 27,000, but food costs are now excluded. The minimum cost for Package-1 is Tk 478,242, while Package-2 starts at Tk 575,680.
Pilgrims must also pay Tk 40,000 for food and 750 Saudi riyals for qurbani. Despite the adjustments, overall expenses have not significantly changed compared to previous years.
This trend of declining Hajj registrations raises concerns about meeting the country’s full quota, even with reduced costs and better financial options.
