Hajj registration deadline again extended till March 7 due to low-turnout

Due to a lackluster response from prospective pilgrims, the Bangladeshi authorities on Tuesday extended the registration deadline for the Hajj till March 7 for the second time.

In contrast to the country's quota of 1.27 lakh, just 32,000 Bangladeshis have finished the registration process to conduct the hajj this year, the religious affairs ministry said in a circular on Tuesday.

Earlier on on February 22, the government extended the hajj registration deadline until today (Tuesday) morning .

Nevertheless, sources at the Hajj Camp office said that in the six days after February 22 just 13,860 potential hajis had finished registration.

The ritual was meant to be performed by at least 15,000 of the 1.27 lakh people under government care and the remaining under private management.

The high cost of hajj packages this year, according to top executives of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) and Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB), prevented many individuals from signing up to do the hajj despite the overwhelming public desire.

This year, a Bangladeshi must spend at least Tk 6.83 lakh to conduct the hajj under government supervision, an increase of almost Tk 1.61 lakh from the year before. The minimum fee for conducting the hajj under private management has been set at 6.72 lakh taka, an increase of roughly 1.5 lakh taka from the prior year.

In addition, each pilgrim will need to pay around Tk 22,000 to the Islamic Development Bank in Saudi Arabia for a Qurbani coupon. The money is used to cover the cost of offering sacrificed animals.

Subject to moon sighting, the hajj is anticipated to take place on June 27.