Religious Affairs Minister Calls for Investigation into Extra Money Collected from Hajj Pilgrims in 2023

Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaykobad has called for an investigation into the additional money collected from Hajj pilgrims in 2023 as airfare.

He said Tk 197,797 was collected from each Hajj pilgrim for airfare in 2023, while the amount has been set at Tk 130,000 for 2027. “Where did the additional money collected in 2023 go? What was done with this money? There should be accountability for this. It should be investigated. What does history say? Fares never decrease; they increase. But this government has proved that fares can decrease for pilgrims,” he said.

He made the remarks under Rule 300 during Tuesday’s session of the Jatiya Sangsad. Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaisar Kamal presided over the session.

The minister said, “Where the fare has now been set at Tk 130,000, Tk 197,797 was collected as airfare in 2023. What was done with this money and where did it go? There should be accountability and an investigation.”

He reiterated that while fares generally increase over time, the government had demonstrated that airfare for Hajj pilgrims could be reduced.

The minister further said that while airfare was Tk 197,000 in 2023, it has now been reduced to Tk 130,000 following the prime minister’s instructions.

Hajj Package Costs Reduced

The minister said two packages have been announced for Hajj 2027. Under Package-1, the cost excluding food was Tk 690,597 in 2026, which has been reduced to Tk 615,263 in 2027—a decrease of Tk 75,334.

This year, Tk 49,136 for food has been included in the package. Claiming that the package is still cheaper than last year even after including food costs, the minister said, “No package has been announced at such a low price anywhere in the world.”

He said the cost of Hajj Package-2 was Tk 558,000 in 2026, excluding food expenses. In 2027, the cost has been reduced to Tk 505,000, a decrease of Tk 53,000. This year, Tk 29,000 for food has been included in the package.

The minister said that under the strong and people-oriented leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, and by the grace of Allah, the Bangladesh government would continue its commitment to serving the pilgrims with humanity, honesty, responsibility and accountability.

Two Pilgrims Were Unable to Travel Due to Lack of Tickets

Referring to an incident during the last Hajj, the minister said he received a call from an intelligence agency after all government and private-sector pilgrims had travelled to Saudi Arabia on the final flight. He was in Saudi Arabia at the time.

He said he was informed that a husband and wife who had Hajj visas could not travel because they did not have tickets. The agent through whom they were supposed to travel had not provided them with tickets.

“I contacted the relevant people from Saudi Arabia. One flight was still left. After making a request, I arranged tickets from Riyadh and ensured that they could travel,” the minister said.

He added that otherwise, the next day there could have been a major headline saying that two pilgrims could not travel to Saudi Arabia during the current government’s tenure.

Saying that the two pilgrims were ultimately able to perform Hajj by the grace of Allah, he said this was the government’s greatest achievement and that people should have the mindset to thank Allah for it.

Religious Affairs Minister Seeks Prayers for Next Hajj

The minister said this year’s Hajj was completed smoothly and successfully through the prime minister’s visionary leadership, strong guidance and close monitoring. He added that Saudi Arabia’s Hajj minister had also praised Bangladesh’s Hajj management.

“I seek everyone’s prayers through you in this House so that we can make the Hajj in the coming days even more beautiful and orderly and perform it for the pleasure of Allah. May Allah grant us this ability,” he said.

He said serving the pilgrims, the guests of Allah, is one of the government’s main priorities. The government will continue its commitment to serving pilgrims with humanity, honesty, responsibility and accountability in the days ahead.