National

Hajj pre-registration begins Feb 23

Pre-registration of the devotees who are willing to perform hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, will be started from February 23.The ministry of religion affairs will announce in this regard after returning Religion Minister and Secretary from Saudi Arabia ending the Hajj agreement. Earlier the issue was decided at an inter-ministerial meeting on February 10 with acting secretary of the ministry of religion affairs Md Abdul Jalil in the chair.Earlier on January 11, the cabinet approved the draft of the National Hajj and Umrah Policy 2016, and Hajj Package 2016.

A pre-registration will be required before the registration phase for hajj start, according to the proposed policy.Pilgrims will be required to pay Tk 360,000 each for performing hajj under government management and is Tk 304,903 for performing hajj without any sacrificial animal.