Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Thursday inaugurated the first-ever National Conference on Hajj and Umrah Management-2022 and Hajj and Umrah Fair in the capital.
She opened the event in Bangabandhu International Conference Centre through a virtual platform from her official residence Ganabhaban here.
Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) in collaboration with the Religious Affairs Ministry arranged the conference and fair.
The objectives of the event include providing the pilgrims with proper hajj-related information, making them aware about current technology-based hajj management, enabling them directly contact with Hajj agencies and reducing the influence of middlemen and scammers.
Two seminars would be held on "Hajj and Umrah Management: Achievements and Actions needed" and "e-Hajj Management and Route to Makkah Initiatives" in the conference.
Different Hajj agencies, financial organisations and the concerned authorities have set up some 150 stalls and pavilions in the three-day hajj and umrah fair, which remains open from 10am to 8pm every day.
Bangladesh, among the world, is the 4th largest hajj pilgrim-sending country to Makkah.
More than 90 percent of Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims and 100 percent umrah pilgrims go to Saudi Arabia under private management.
State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md. Mahbub Ali, State Minister for Religious Affairs Md. Faridul Haque Khan, Religious Affairs Secretary Kazi Enamul Hassan, Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Issa bin Youssef Al-Dahilan and HAAB President M Shahadat Hossain Taslim also spoke at the inaugural ceremony.