Govt seeks Saudi levy cut to make Hajj more affordable

Rahmatullah Miah: The government has sought a reduction in the Saudi airport construction levy imposed on airline tickets to further bring down travel costs for Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat said on Thursday.“We have requested the Saudi authorities to reduce the airport construction levy so that the cost of air travel for Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims can be lowered further,” Millat said.The state minister made the remarks while inaugurating the three-day National Hajj and Umrah Fair-2026, organised by the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka. Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) president Syed Golam Sarwar presided over the event.Millat said the government had reduced airfare for Hajj pilgrims by Tk 12,000 per ticket last year and cut it by another Tk 25,000 this year, bringing the airfare down to Tk 130,000.He said the government was taking a series of measures under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to make Hajj more affordable, convenient and hassle-free for Bangladeshi pilgrims.The government has also held extensive discussions with the Saudi ambassador to Bangladesh to secure special facilities aimed at reducing accommodation costs for Bangladeshi pilgrims, Millat said.He reiterated the government's commitment to ensuring affordable Hajj packages and warned that those found defrauding pilgrims would face the strictest punishment.Speaking at the inauguration, Religious Affairs Secretary Munshi Alauddin Al Azad, NDC, said only around five percent of Bangladeshi pilgrims perform Hajj under the government management system, while the remaining 95 percent travel through private Hajj agencies.He urged Hajj agency owners to avoid any activities that could damage Bangladesh's image or undermine public confidence in the management of Hajj.Deputy Head of Mission of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Bangladesh Khalid Saeed Al Hadal, HAAB leaders, prospective Hajj pilgrims and others attended the inaugural ceremony.The three-day fair brings together stakeholders involved in Hajj and Umrah services and provides prospective pilgrims with an opportunity to learn about available services and arrangements for their pilgrimage.