Cabinet approves amendment proposal for Hajj & Umrah Policy and Hajj Package-2016

However, under the revised policy and Hajj package, the number of Hajj pilgrims under the private management would be reduced by 17,110 this year.

The approval came on Monday at the weekly regular cabinet meeting held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the Hajj policy and package were amended following the Saudi government decision.

"With the amendment to the (Hajj) policy and package, the total number of Hajj pilgrims to be sent from Bangladesh would be reduced by 12,110," he said.

He said as per the amended (Hajj) policy and package, a total of 101,758 pilgrims would perform Hajj from Bangladesh this year. The number was 1,13,868 in the earlier Hajj policy and package.

Under the revised (Hajj) policy and package, he said, 10,000 pilgrims would perform Hajj this year from Bangladesh under the government management instead of 5,000, while 91,758 pilgrims would perform Hajj under the private management instead of 1,08,868.

Alam said under the revised Hajj policy and package, every Hajj pilgrim will have to make their all payments including house rent, transport and catering electronically (e-payment), while the payment for Qurbani will have to be made through online system of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

The pilgrims will have to collect a "token" to make Qurbani, he said, adding that none will be allowed this year to make Qurbani under the personal arrangement.

The cabinet secretary said every Hajj agency will have to carry at least 150 pilgrims instead of 50 while there will be three "Muallem" in every Hajj flight for 419 Hajj pilgrims.

The cabinet secretary added that every Hajj pilgrim will also have to pay 150 Saudi Riyals as "water cooler charge" to be adjusted from their additional service charges of 1000 Riyals.

An arrangement for "water cooling system" will be at Arafat Maidan to lessen sufferings of the Hajj pilgrims as many of them fell sick due to severe heat during the Hajj, he explained.

The cabinet secretary said the first quarterly (January-March) report of 2016 on the decisions taken in the cabinet meeting during the period was placed before the cabinet today.

The report showed that from January 1 to March 31 this year, some 13 cabinet meetings took place where some 79 decisions were undertaken.

Out of those decisions, some 49 decisions were implemented with a success rate of 62.03 percent while some 30 decisions are under implementation which is 37.97 percent of the overall decisions.

Besides, some three policies or strategies were approved during that period alongside five agreements or MoUs while nine bills were passed in parliament.

On the contrary, from the period of January 1 to March 31 last year, some 13 cabinet meetings took place where some 66 decisions were undertaken.

Out of those decisions, some 33 decisions were executed with a success rate of 50 percent while some 33 decisions are under implementation which is also 50 percent of the overall decisions.

Besides, some two policies or strategies were approved during that period alongside three agreements and MoUs while three bills were passed in parliament.

Considering these figures, the cabinet secretary said that the performance of the cabinet was much better in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015.

Besides, he said, a proposal for observing the National Professional Health and Safety Day on April 28 each year was approved by the cabinet.

The cabinet was also apprised of the visit of a Bangladesh delegation led by the state minister for labour and employment to England and Scotland on February 22-27 to inspect skill development-related activities there.

Besides, the visit of a Bangladesh delegation led by the Prime Minister's ICT adviser and the state minister for ICT division to Germany on March 14-15 was apprised.

Ministers and state ministers concerned attended the meeting, while secretaries concerned were present.