Request S Arabia for pilgrim quota hike

Owners of Hajj agencies urge PM

Some Hajj agency owners have urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to request the Saudi Arabian government to increase the quota for Bangladeshi pilgrims as many countries, including Iran, are not sending their nationals to perform Hajj this year. Around 40,000 additional pilgrims have pre-registered their names with the ministry of religious affairs, paying Tk. 30,752 each to perform Hajj. According to sources, over 1.7 lakh Iranians perform Hajj every year. However, the Iranian government has decided not to send pilgrims to perform Hajj this year for security reasons, and so there will be a huge quota surplus for pilgrims.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has good ties with the Saudi Arabian government. We’ve requested her to propose to the Saudi authorities to increase Hajj quota for our pilgrims this year,” Abdullah Al Naser, president of the Bangladesh Pilgrims and Hajji Welfare Council, told The Independent yesterday.
Expressing hope that the government would take the initiative to enable these additional 40,000 Bangladeshi pilgrims to perform Hajj, he said: “We believe if the Prime Minister uses her influence, the Saudi government will increase the Hajj quota for Bangladesh.”
A total of 1,01,778 Hajj pilgrims will go to Saudi Arabia this year to perform Hajj. Around 1,40,000 people have registered their names to perform Hajj under private arrangements, against the provision for only 91,778 pilgrims under private organisations.
Earlier in May, last-minute negotiations between Iran and Saudi Arabia failed to provide a breakthrough for Iranian pilgrims to attend the Hajj. Saeed Ohadi, head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation, denounced Saudi Arabia for being “domineering” in imposing conditions on Iran.
Iranian officials had earlier publicly discussed two of the conditions creating conflict between Iran and Saudi for the participation of Iranian pilgrims at the shrines in Saudi Arabia: a ban on Iranian planes and the requirement for Iranians to travel to a third country for a visa.
Saudi Arabia snapped ties with Iran after its embassy in Tehran was attacked in January in response to the execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

Request S Arabia for pilgrim quota hike

Owners of Hajj agencies urge PM

Some Hajj agency owners have urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to request the Saudi Arabian government to increase the quota for Bangladeshi pilgrims as many countries, including Iran, are not sending their nationals to perform Hajj this year. Around 40,000 additional pilgrims have pre-registered their names with the ministry of religious affairs, paying Tk. 30,752 each to perform Hajj. According to sources, over 1.7 lakh Iranians perform Hajj every year. However, the Iranian government has decided not to send pilgrims to perform Hajj this year for security reasons, and so there will be a huge quota surplus for pilgrims. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has good ties with the Saudi Arabian government. Weve requested her to propose to the Saudi authorities to increase Hajj quota for our pilgrims this year, Abdullah Al Naser, president of the Bangladesh Pilgrims and Hajji Welfare Council, told The Independent yesterday. Expressing hope that the government would take the initiative to enable these additional 40,000 Bangladeshi pilgrims to perform Hajj, he said: We believe if the Prime Minister uses her influence, the Saudi government will increase the Hajj quota for Bangladesh. A total of 1,01,778 Hajj pilgrims will go to Saudi Arabia this year to perform Hajj. Around 1,40,000 people have registered their names to perform Hajj under private arrangements, against the provision for only 91,778 pilgrims under private organisations. Earlier in May, last-minute negotiations between Iran and Saudi Arabia failed to provide a breakthrough for Iranian pilgrims to attend the Hajj. Saeed Ohadi, head of Irans Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation, denounced Saudi Arabia for being domineering in imposing conditions on Iran. Iranian officials had earlier publicly discussed two of the conditions creating conflict between Iran and Saudi for the participation of Iranian pilgrims at the shrines in Saudi Arabia: a ban on Iranian planes and the requirement for Iranians to travel to a third country for a visa. Saudi Arabia snapped ties with Iran after its embassy in Tehran was attacked in January in response to the execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.