As the deadline to apply for Hajj visas concluded last night, uncertainty looms for over 11,000 pilgrims from Bangladesh who have yet to secure their visas. This situation makes their participation uncertain in this year’s Hajj, scheduled for June 16, contingent on moon sighting. As of today, the latest figures revealed that 72,138 individuals had successfully obtained their Saudi visas, with an additional 259 currently in the visa printing process. However, this leaves precisely 11,167 applicants in limbo, with their chances of attending the Hajj in jeopardy unless the Saudi government grants another extension. In response to the crisis, Faridul Haq Khan, Minister of Religious Affairs, has formally requested a third extension from the Saudi authorities to accommodate the backlog. Echoing this sentiment, Md A Hamid Zamadder, Secretary to the ministry, expressed optimism last night, telling UNB, “We remain in constant communication with our counterparts in the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. We are hopeful for an extension in the visa application period.” Explore why boys lag behind girls in exams: PM Hasina says on SSC results Zamadder also noted that other countries, including India and Indonesia, are facing similar issues, which might influence Saudi Arabia to extend the visa deadline. Despite the government’s efforts, issues with local Hajj agencies have compounded the problem. These agencies have reportedly failed to secure accommodations in Saudi Arabia, a prerequisite for visa approval, leading to last-minute scrambles and heightened uncertainty. The agencies are now racing against time, trying to secure housing at lower rates, which has delayed visa processing. As of now, 11,017 Bangladeshi pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia, with a total of 85,257 expected to perform Hajj under both government and private management. Visitors on Hajj visa prohibited from traveling outside Jeddah, Medina, and Mecca: Saudi Ministry The first batch of pilgrims departed on May 9, with flights scheduled to continue until June 10. Upon completion of Hajj, return flights are slated from June 20 through July 22. The coming days will be critical in determining whether the remaining applicants can fulfill their spiritual journey, as the ministry awaits a definitive response on the visa extension issue, expected by Monday.

Saudi Arabia has clarified its new policy, introducing travel restrictions for Hajj pilgrims — confining their movements exclusively to Jeddah, Medina, and Mecca. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that individuals visiting Saudi Arabia on a Hajj visa are prohibited from traveling outside these three cities. The visa is designed solely for pilgrimage purposes and does not permit holders to engage in work, seek residency, or travel beyond Jeddah, Medina, and Mecca. Hajj packages for 2024 to be cheaper Violations of these restrictions could result in severe penalties, including deportation and a potential ban on future Hajj participation, according to a Gulf News report. Furthermore, the Ministry clarified that all international visitors, except those from GCC countries who do not require a Hajj permit, must secure a Hajj visa through the official channels. To streamline the application process, the Ministry's website now facilitates electronic registration for the Hajj visa via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' visa platform. Applicants are required to log in, select the required service, and follow detailed instructions for document submission. Bangladeshis can perform Umrah with transit visa: Saudi Hajj Minister The deadline for Hajj visa applications is set for the 7th of Dhu Al Hijjah, or until the designated quota of pilgrims is met. Processing typically takes up to three working days, and applicants are urged to apply early to adhere to all regulatory requirements.

Muslim devotees from across the world are coming into Saudi Arabia in large numbers taking advantage of the holy month of Ramadan contributing to huge crowd at the two holiest cities- Makkah and Madinah. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is witnessing a growing number of Umrah pilgrims from countries around the world, including from Bangladesh, since the beginning of Ramadan. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, offers the best weather, and this holy month, dedicated to prayer, self-reflection, and religious devotion, also traditionally marks the peak season to perform Umrah. Though Makkah is well-known for its excessive hot days, surprisingly, this March offers a pleasant weather. Thousands of Muslim devotees offered their Jummah prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah on Friday (March 15), the first Jummah of Ramadan. All the floors of the Grand Mosque and its adjacent courtyards were full of devotees, and the rows of devotees spilled over to the streets of the Central Haram area. Many of the Muslims offered Jummah from their respective hotels, which are connected with the Grand Mosque through audio transmission. Meanwhile, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman approved hosting 1,000 Umrah pilgrims from countries around the world during the year 2024. The guests representing the fourth and final batch of 2024, which includes 250 prominent Islamic Umrah pilgrims, male and female, representing 16 countries from the continents of Europe and Asia, are visitng the kingdom to perform Umrah. Read more: Saudi Arabia offers Nusuk platform for Bangladeshi visitors to increase accessibility and simplify Umrah Journey Islamic scholars, journalists, students, and influencers like the founder and CEO of 10 Minute School, Ayman Sadiq; and author, speaker, English teacher Munzereen Shahid are among the Bangladesh delegation members. "To be honest, I feel so lucky. I knew about the stories of these historical places. Now I had the opportunity to see in my own eyes," said Munzereen Shahid. She said there is no language barrier or cultural divide here. "I see an extraordinary unity among people. I have a desire to come again," said Munzereen who performed her first Umrah together with her husband Ayman Sadiq. "Had the honor of visiting the King Fahd Quran Printing Complex in Madinah, where millions of copies of the Holy Quran are printed every year. Madinah is peaceful," Ayman shared his experience of visiting the historic place in Madinah before performing Umrah. Talking to UNB, Musa Takai from New Zealand said, "It is quite unimaginable. I am grateful to Almighty Allah first and then to the Royal family for giving us this opportunity to perform Umrah." ​Musa expressed his sincere thanks and great appreciation to the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques and the crown prince for graciously hosting him to perform Umrah. He added that the kingdom always provides care and attention to the guests of Allah providing integrated services and stressed that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Umrah and Visitation Program is a wonderful model.

Bangladeshi passengers on stopovers will be able to perform Umrah with transit visa, said Saudi Arabia's Minister of Hajj and Umrah Affairs Dr Tawfiq bin Fawzan Ar-Rabiah on Wednesday (August 23, 2023). He disclosed the information while talking to reporters after a meeting with State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan at the Secretariat in the afternoon. Read: Biman's last hajj flight arrives in Dhaka with 358 pilgrims Minister Md Faridul Haque said Bangladeshis will be allowed to perform Umrah even in transit. “Passengers will avail this benefit only if they use Saudi carriers. The transit visa will be valid for four days.” Read: KSA to allow over 127,000 Bangladeshis to perform hajj in 2024 Besides, the validity of Umrah visa has been extended from 1 month to 3 months. Bangladeshi passengers can also travel the country on this visa, he added. The state minister also said that discussions were held on increasing the Hajj quota and reducing the Hajj cost for Bangladeshis. Read: 117 Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims died in Saudi Arabia till July 27: Ministry

At least 18 Bangladeshi pilgrims were killed and 16 others were injured in an accident that killed 24 omrah hajj pilgrims and injured around 23 people in the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia on Monday, said a Foreign Ministry official on Wednesday. The deceased were identified as Shahidul Islam, son of Shariat Ulla in Senbagh from Noakhali district, Mamun Mia, son of Abdul Awal and Russel Molla of Muradnagar in Cumilla district, Mohammad Helal of Noakhali district, Sabuj Hossain of Laxmipur district, Md Asif and Shafatul Islam of Maheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar district, Md Imam Hossain Rony, son of Abdul Latif in Gazipur district, Ruk Mia, son of Kalu Mia of Chandpur district, Gias Hamid of Debidwar in Cumilla district, Mohammad Nazrul Islam, son of Kawsar Mia and Rony, son of Iskandar of Jashore district and Mohammad Hossain of Cox’s Bazar district, Ruhul Amin, Khairul Islam, Tushar Mazumder, Miraz Hossain, Sakib, son of Abdul Awal and Rana Mia.  Previously it was confirmed that 13 Bangladeshis were killed. Later another five Bangladeshi nationals have been identified among the 24 omrah pilgrims who died in the crash, according to information provided by the foreign ministry.   At least 16 Bangladeshi nationals are receiving medical treatments in four different hospitals across the country.   The bus was carrying 47 omrah hajj pilgrims to Makkah and among them thirty-five passengers were Bangladeshi nationals. The accident occurred in Saudi Arabia’s Asir province - around 650 km away from Jeddah - at around 4:00 PM on Monday. According to media reports, the bus collided with a bridge following a brake failure, overturned and burst into flames. Hospital authorities said that it is very difficult to determine the nationality due to the burning and disfiguring of the bodies. Two officers of the Bangladesh Consulate General, Jeddah visited the area immediately after the incident and are trying to identify the victims and contact their family members in Bangladesh, according to a press release sent from Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs extended its heartfelt condolences to the relatives of those who have lost their lives in this tragic accident and remains connected with the wounded and hospitalized and is working for the early repatriation of the dead. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday said the number of Bangladeshi nationals who died in the crash could rise as many of the wounded -- who are receiving medical treatment in different hospitals across the country -- are in critical condition.  He hoped that the bodies of the Bangladeshi nationals would be returned as soon as possible.  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday expressed deep shock and sorrow at the horrific bus crash that killed around 24 omrah hajj pilgrims and injured around 23 people in the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia on Monday. In a condolence message, she prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed souls and quick recovery of the injured persons. She asked the Foreign Ministry officials and the Saudi Mission personnel to take necessary actions for recovering the bodies of Bangladeshi nationals and ensure proper treatment for the injured.  

The Hajj and Umrah Ministry of Saudi Arabia has recommended pilgrims to perform Umrah just once during the holy month of Ramadan. To avoid crowding and guarantee that pilgrims have a simple and straightforward travel to the sites, the ministry recommended Muslims to undertake Umrah just once throughout the holy month, reports Al Arabiya. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Saudi officials were concerned about overcrowding at the holy sites because they wanted to make sure that travelers were safe at all times, it said. Read More: Saudi govt reduces Umrah insurance cost for foreign pilgrims by 63% The Nusuk app allows Muslims from all over the world to apply to participate in the pilgrimage and plan their whole trip there, including applying for a eVisa and arranging accommodations and flights, the report also said. Except for during Hajj, any period of the year is permissible for Muslims to go to Makkah to perform Umrah. Many people aspire to do Umrah during the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Read More: Route to Mecca: MoU signed to make Bangladeshi pilgrims' Saudi visits easier

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.

Saudi Arabia has offered services to seven million Umrah pilgrims from around the world in 2022. Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah allowed people with tourist visas to perform Umrah during their stay in the country for the first time last year, reports Al Arabiya News. The ministry also released 13 awareness guides, including Umrah comprehensive guide, for pilgrims in 14 different languages that facilitated pilgrims of all religious, medical, and procedural information before their arrival in the country. Read more: Route to Mecca: MoU signed to make Bangladeshi pilgrims' Saudi visits easier Citizens of 49 countries, who applied for tourist visas online and upon their arrival at airports, were also facilitated with service. It also facilitated pilgrims with all types of visas – instant visa on arrival, family visa, personal visa, and Schengen, UK and US visa holders, which were all issued electronically. Besides, the Umrah visa had been extended from 30 to 90 days. Read more: Joint working group to resolve passport renewal issues of Bangladeshis living in Saudi The ministry launched “Nusuk platform,” which includes 121 services to book and design the Umrah program and issue visas electronically to all countries, as per the media report. This platform has allowed five countries – Britain, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Kuwait – for the quick issuance of online visas through the Saudi Visa Bio smartphone application of the Saudi Foreign Ministry. A comprehensive insurance service for the pilgrims was also launched last year to cover the health emergencies, accidents and cancelling or delaying flights. Read More: How to Perform Umrah from Bangladesh?

Umrah pilgrims from five countries including Bangladesh must provide their biometric data, including “fingerprints” in order to get an electronic Umrah visa, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced. The four other countries are the UK, Tunisia, Kuwait and Malaysia. Read more: Age limit for Hajj pilgrims may be lifted from next year: State Minister Interested pilgrims will have to use the Saudi Visa Bio app that allows for visa registration via fingerprints and selfie biometrics to attend significant Muslim pilgrimages,  reports The Gulf News. The new app delivers on a commitment made by the Saudi government late last year to allow biometrics enrolment through mobile devices so pilgrims to Mecca can avoid visiting visa centres in person, and makes the country one of the first in the world to accept biometrics by mobile for visa issuance. Read more: How to Perform Umrah from Bangladesh? In February 2022, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) released an electronic passport with a chip that stores the user’s biometrics for authentication purposes.

Bangladesh and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have signed a bilateral document on ‘Route to Mecca’ which will ease  visit of Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims to the kingdom. Under Route to Mecca service agreement, Hajis (Pilgrims) would be able to complete their immigration in Dhaka prior to their departure to Saudi Arabia. Bangladesh is the first country with whom Saudi Arabia has signed Route to Mecca service agreement considering "excellent relations" between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia, said the government. Another MoU on secirtuy cooperation was also singed between the two countries. Read more: Joint working group to resolve passport renewal issues of Bangladeshis living in Saudi Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan briefed reporters after a meeting with visiting Deputy Minister of Interior of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dr Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al Dawood  at the Home Ministry on Sunday. Security cooperation includes capacity building, skills development and exchange of visits between members of the security forces. The Home Minister said earlier Bangladeshis had to wait in long queues for the immigration process to go to Saudi Arabia for performing Hajj. But from now, the immigration process for going to KSA for Hajj will be completed in Dhaka due to signing ‘Route to Mecca’ MOU . About Rohingya issue, the Home Minister said that about three lakh Rohingyas are staying in Saudi Arabia and many of them have Bangladeshi passports. “The Saudi government wanted the renewal of their passports. We have given them assurance to consider the issue.  Besides, we also sought the cooperation of the Saudi government to send the Rohingyas back to Myanmar,” he said. Read more: Saudi Arabia assures assistance in commercial supply of LNG to Bangladesh