There will be no age restriction to perform hajj from next year. Based on the decision some 1.30 lakh pilgrims who had age limit restrictions during the pandemic can now perform hajj.
The minister of state for religious affairs gave this information in response to a question during a meeting with the leaders of the newly-elected committee of the Religious Reporters Forum (RRF) at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
Due to the situation of coronavirus infection, very few people from Bangladesh were able to perform Hajj this year. When asked how the next Hajj will be, the state minister said, “According to the unofficial talks we have had with the Saudi government, hajj will not have any restriction from next year. It may not be what we had last year. This time we may get as much as we get as a ratio. And the 65-year restriction may not be the case this time either. We have already come to know this from them.”
Faridul Haque Khan advised to pre-register for Hajj under the government management and said that many people still have the opportunity to go for Hajj next year. Registration has crossed 12,000. “Officially we can allow maximum 15000,” Khan said.
In 2019, some 1,27,000 people from Bangladesh performed Hajj. In the Haj agreement between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia for 2020, the quota of Bangladeshi pilgrims has been increased by 10,000. In 2020, 137000 Bangladeshis had the opportunity to perform Hajj. But no one from Bangladesh could perform Hajj due to the ban of Saudi Arabia due to Covid-19. Even in 2021 there was a ban on performing Hajj for foreigners.
If the corona infection decreases, this year (2022) Saudi Arabia will allow halving the quota from different countries to perform Hajj. This time, 60,000 pilgrims from Bangladesh performed Hajj. Due to the pandemic, there was a ban on performing Hajj for those above 65 years of age.
