Bangladeshi pilgrims: Number of hajis to be fixed in May

The government will sort out the modalities with the Saudi government by early next month such that Bangladeshi citizens can perform Hajj this year, said Faridul Haque Khan, the state Minister for religious affairs.

Just a few thousand people were allowed to perform the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca in 2021 because of the pandemic, and only 1,000 the year before that. And Bangladeshi citizens were left out.

On Saturday, Saudi Arabia said it will allow one million people -- from both inside and outside the kingdom -- to perform the Hajj this year. The numbers allowed to go on the pilgrimage from each country are decided under a quota system.

"We are in close contact with Saudi Arabia -- we are hopeful of inking an agreement later this month or early next," Khan told The Daily Star.

The number of Bangladeshi citizens that would be allowed to perform the Hajj is up to the Saudi government, he added.

About 1.30 lakh Bangladeshis performed the Hajj in 2019, according to the religious affairs ministry.

This year's Hajj, which will take place in July, will be limited to vaccinated pilgrims under age 65.

Pilgrims travelling from abroad will also need to have a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before their departure for Saudi Arabia.

In early March, the kingdom nation lifted most Covid restrictions including social distancing in public spaces and quarantine for vaccinated arrivals, moves that were expected to facilitate the arrival of Muslim pilgrims.

Before the pandemic, Muslim pilgrims were the key revenue earners for the kingdom, bringing in some $12 billion annually.