Government to refund Tk 4core, 87 lakh to hajj pilgrims

The government has decided to refund Tk 4core, 87 lakh surplus money direct to the accounts of hajj pilgrims who registered to perform hajj in 2026 through the government managed system.

Religious affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad formally informed these in a press conference on Sunday (6 September) in his ministry.

He said that after administrative and management expenses, the large amount of money remaining as surplus would be refunded directly and transparently to the respective bank accounts of 4,341 Hajj pilgrims.

The minister said, “This money was saved from the Hajj package costs due to savings on accommodation expenses and a reduction in service charges. The saved amount will be transferred to the bank accounts of the concerned pilgrims.”

The Ministry of Religious Affairs said the amount to be refunded would vary depending on the Hajj package and type of accommodation.

Under Hajj Package-1, pilgrims staying at the Bulura Al Durrar hotel under the general package will receive Tk38,697.32 each, while those under the short package will receive Tk46,888.40 each.

Pilgrims who opted for a two-seat upgrade will receive Tk164,190.56. At the same time, those who took both the two-seat upgrade and the short package will receive Tk180,572.71.

Pilgrims with a three-seat upgrade will receive Tk118,072.82 each. Those with both a three-seat upgrade and the short package will receive Tk131,735.53 each.

New Saudi Rules for Hajj Pilgrims

Under Hajj Package-2, pilgrims staying at House No. 2, or Luluat Al Bawhid Hotel, under the general package will receive Tk2,505.49 each, while those under the short package will receive Tk8,730.70 each.

Pilgrims who opted for a two-seat upgrade will receive Tk62,331.79, while those with both the upgrade and the short package will receive Tk78,713.14.

Meanwhile, pilgrims with a three-seat upgrade will receive Tk3,287.36 each, while those with the same upgrade under the short package will receive Tk8,431.36 each.

For pilgrims staying at House No. 3, or Rawdat Al Shurooq Hotel, those under the general package will receive Tk3,979.88 each, while short-package pilgrims will receive Tk12,170.95 each. Pilgrims with a two-seat upgrade will receive Tk4,376.66, while those with a three-seat upgrade will receive Tk44,119.87 each.

Pilgrims staying at House No. 4, or Manar Al Shurooq Hotel, will receive Tk7,414.23 each under the general package, Tk5,675.43 for a two-seat upgrade and Tk6,241.24 for a three-seat upgrade.

On the other hand, each pilgrim staying at Nanda One Hotel under the General Hajj Package-3 will receive Tk3,718.09.

At the press conference, the Religious Affairs Minister also said that airfare for the 2026 Hajj had been reduced by Tk24,830 compared with the previous year. For the 2027 Hajj, airfare has been reduced further and fixed at Tk130,000.