Saudi Arabia has decided to cancel the traditional Hajj allowing millions of Muslims, and informed Bangladesh about this unprecedented decision due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud phoned his Bangladesh counterpart Dr AK Abdul Momen and informed him that “there would be no traditional Hajj this year”, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
“Only a limited number (less than 1000, both domestic and international) of Hajjis will be allowed to perform Hajj this year.”
The minister further conveyed that “a small number of Hajjis from each Muslim country would be allowed to join the congression.”
Dr Momen termed the decision ‘wise’ under the circumstances.
He also thanked the Saudi Prince for his call, which he promised to do during the last telephone meeting between them held on June 14. The decision marks the first time in Saudi Arabia’s modern history that Muslims outside the kingdom are barred from performing the hajj, which last year drew 2.5 million pilgrims.
“It was decided to hold the pilgrimage this year with very limited numbers… with different nationalities in the kingdom,” the official Saudi Press Agency said.
“This decision is taken to ensure the hajj is performed in a safe manner from a public health perspective… and in accordance with the teachings of Islam.”
The Hajj is a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime.
The decision comes as Saudi Arabia grapples to contain the spike of the infections, which have now risen to more than 161,000 cases — the highest in the Gulf — and over 1,300 deaths.
The Hajj could be a major source of contagion as it packs millions of pilgrims into congested religious sites.
