State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haq Khan said on Tuesday that the cost of Hajj package will be reduced a bit. “We requested the Saudi government to lessen the cost of hajj packages and an announcement will come from the government on Wednesday in this regard,” he said while addressing an ‘intra- religious dialogue’ at the collectorate conference room of the district. The Saudi government increased the cost by around Tk one lakh for each pilgrim as they added some new facilities for hajj pilgrims to the previous ones, he said. On February 1, the government fixed at Tk 6, 83,018 as hajj cost for each pilgrim which was around Tk 1.61 lakh more the past year. The increased hajj cost drew huge criticism as it is higher than that of the neighbouring countries . Of them, an amount of Tk 1, 97,797 was fixed as airfare for each passenger. Read more: No scope to reduce hajj flight fare this year: Biman MD The High Court on March 14 questioned how common people will perform hajj at the cost of the package set by the government. It questioned, “Why doesn't the government allocate budgets for the hajj like other countries in the world?” The High Court bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Ali came up with this observation while hearing a writ petition over revising the hajj package offered by the government this year. The HC asked the authorities concerned to take initiative to cut the hajj cost following a hearing on the writ petition on March 15. On March 17, the Ministry of Religious Affairs gave directives to the authorities concerned to rationally reduce the airfare of Biman. On March 19, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director Shafiul Azim said there is no scope to reduce the fare of hajj flights this year. 

The Saudi government has announced that the cost of comprehensive Umrah insurance for foreign pilgrims has been reduced by 63 percent. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of KSA has cut the cost from SR 235 to SR 87 – with effect from January 10, reports Saudi Gazette. The insurance for Umrah is a unified policy that is covered by pilgrims from Muslim countries of the world, including Bangladesh. Read More: 7 million Umrah pilgrims facilitated in Saudi Arabia in 2022 It is included in the visa procedures and covers emergency cases such as treatment, admission, hospitalization, pregnancy, emergency childbirth, emergency dental cases, traffic accident injuries, dialysis cases, and internal and external medical evacuation. It also covers general cases such as accidental permanent total disability, cases of death and death due to natural disasters, returning the body of the deceased to his country, and blood money issued by a court ruling. It also includes covers for flight delay compensation and flight cancellation compensation, it said. The insurance coverage period is 90 days, starting from the day of entering Saudi Arabia, and the scope of its coverage is only within the kingdom. Read More: Umrah e-visa: Biometric data must for pilgrims from Bangladesh, 4 other countries Intending Umrah performers can visit the website of the Comprehensive Insurance Program for the Guests of Rahman to view the Umrah insurance policy, verify its validity, and know services providers.

The Saudi government has expressed interest in financing a project of upgrading the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar and Jashore-Khulna highways into four lanes, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday. Quader informed this after a meeting with a delegation led by Saudi Minister for Transport and Logistic Services Eng Saleh Nasser Al-Jasser at the parliament's office room. The minister further said that Al-Jasser expressed interest in financing the project of upgrading 150 km long highway from Chattogram to Cox's Bazar and 62 km long Jashore-Khulna highway into four lanes. Read: Saudi entrepreneurs eye Bangladesh for investment, says its minister The Saudi minister also expressed interest in investing in other potential areas of Bangladesh, Quader added. Besides, Obaidul Quader also mentioned the importance of increasing Bangladesh's manpower export opportunities to Saudi Arabia and stressed the bilateral relations between the two countries.

The Saudi government has invited Bangladeshi scientists, academics and experts to participate in an international competition and conference on various scientific knowledge on Disability Research. The Authority for the Care of Persons with Disability in Saudi Arabia will host the international competition for disability research - third session - and the 6th international conference on disability and rehabilitation during the January 25-27 period. The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Dhaka informed that the competition and conference will be held under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. Also Read:Saudi investors want to invest $5bn in Bangladesh: Ambassador Essa The title of the competition is “Empowering Individuals with Disabilities from Childhood to Adulthood-Between Research & Practice.” The Organising Committee will bear all the expenses, including travel expenditures and accommodation for the selected participants from outside of Saudi Arabia.  Interested participants from Bangladesh can visit the following website https://icdr.org.sa for detailed information regarding the participation in the competition and conference, said the Saudi Embassy in Dhaka on Thursday.       

Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Issa bin Youssef Al-Duhailan on Sunday said they are considering those Rohingyas as Bangladeshis who have been to Saudi Arabia with Bangladeshi passports.

Bangladesh has requested the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to increase flights between the two countries so that the expatriates who got stuck here can return to their workplaces smoothly.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday reiterated that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) will not send back 54,000 Rohingyas living there for decades.

Bangladesh has sought one more extension of three months from Saudi Arabia for Bangladeshi valid visa holders and their Iqama (valid work permit) in an effort to help workers return to their work.

The Saudi government has resumed international flight operations which remained suspended due to Covid-19 pandemic.

The Saudi government has officially conveyed its decision to hold the hajj this year in a very limited way due to coronavirus situation while Bangladesh finds the decision "wise".   Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia called Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Monday evening to inform that there would be no traditional Hajj this year due to Covid-19 pandemic situation.