The government is maintaining regular communication with the Saudi authorities to ensure the smooth registration and management of Hajj, Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaykobad said on Saturday.
He made the remarks at a programme where awards were presented to the best Hajj guides. The minister said the government is working to further strengthen bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia while addressing various problems faced by Bangladeshi pilgrims.
Referring to an incident last year, the minister said two pilgrims could not travel to Saudi Arabia on time due to mismanagement by an agency. They were later sent for Hajj with the assistance of the police, National Security Intelligence (NSI) and other law enforcement agencies.
He said the government had provided 100,000 bottles of water to pilgrims free of charge last year. The government also arranged luggage wrapping services without charging the pilgrims.
The minister urged Hajj guides to further improve the quality of their services. He said more opportunities would be created for guides who perform well and that they would be rewarded on a larger scale in the future.
The best Hajj guides were awarded Tk 500,000 this year. The minister said the prize money would be increased in the future. He also said that no pilgrim lost luggage this year due to improved management.
At the programme, Religious Affairs Ministry Secretary Munsi Alauddin Al Azad said the ministry would hand over the money saved from this year’s Hajj operations to the government on Sunday.
