Dhaka: State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat today announced that the government has reached out to Saudi authorities with a request to lower the Saudi airport construction levy on airline tickets. This initiative aims to further decrease travel expenses for Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the state minister stated that last year, the government successfully reduced airfare by Tk 12,000 per ticket. This year, they have managed to cut the airfare by an additional Tk 25,000, bringing the total cost down to Tk 130,000. Millat made these remarks during the inauguration of the three-day National Hajj and Umrah Fair-2026, organized by the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.
Millat emphasized that the government is actively implementing a series of measures to make Hajj more affordable and hassle-free, under the guidance of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. He also highlighted that the government has engaged in extensive discussions with the Saudi Ambassador in Bangladesh to negotiate special arrangements that would help reduce accommodation costs for Bangladeshi pilgrims.
The state minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring affordable Hajj packages and issued a warning that any fraudulent activities targeting pilgrims would be met with the strictest penalties.
During the event, Religious Affairs Secretary Munshi Alauddin Al Azad, NDC, noted that only about five percent of Bangladeshi pilgrims perform Hajj under the government management system, while the remaining 95 percent rely on private Hajj agencies. He urged agency owners to maintain the country's image and uphold public trust in Hajj management.
The ceremony was also attended by Deputy Head of Mission of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Bangladesh Khalid Saeed Al Hadal, HAAB leaders, and prospective Hajj pilgrims.