Dhaka: Initial registration for the 2026 Hajj will begin on July 27, and pilgrims wishing to perform Hajj next year are required to complete their initial registration by depositing Taka four lakh. The decision was made at a meeting of the Ministry of Religious Affairs at the Bangladesh Secretariat, with Religious Affairs Adviser Dr. AFM Khalid Hossain presiding, according to a press release.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Saudi government's roadmap necessitates the completion of final registration for Hajj by October 12 this year. During this period, pilgrims must complete their initial registration and pay the remaining balance of the Hajj package for final registration.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs will announce the 2026 Hajj package as soon as possible, pending the calculation of expenses in Saudi Arabia and airfare for travel. Pilgrims can complete both initial and final registration through the e-Hajj system, Labbaik mobile app, Union Digital Center, Islamic Foundation's offices, and the Ashkona Hajj office.
The press release also noted that individuals wishing to perform Hajj through private agencies must register their names through an approved Hajj agency. The meeting highlighted that the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has directed the finalization of the Hajj flight schedule and payment for sacrificial animals on the Nusuk Masa platform before renting accommodations in Mecca and Medina for the upcoming Hajj season.
Additionally, the Saudi government has mandated medical fitness for all pilgrims starting next year. Present at the meeting were Religious Affairs Secretary AKM Aftab Hossain Pramanik, Additional Secretaries M A Awal Howlader and Dr. Ayatul Islam, and officials from the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh, among others.