Govt plans year-round hajj registration: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said her government is planning to conduct online registration of intending hajj pilgrims throughout the year to simplify hajj management.

"From the registrations, the hajj pilgrims then could easily be sent to Saudi Arabia through lotteries," she said, warning hajj agencies of legal steps if any of them resorts to cheating with the pilgrims.

The premier was addressing the inauguration of Hajj Programme 2015 held at Dhaka’s Ashkona Hajj Camp. The holy hajj is likely to be performed this year on September 24 subject to moon sighting.

"If the registration of interested hajj pilgrims goes on throughout the year and the Saudi government fixes which number of pilgrims we’ll be able to perform the hajj, then we could make arrangements for sending the hajj pilgrims through lotteries. More importantly, this will be comfortable for pilgrims,” she said.

Saying that her government and the ruling Awami League had never indulged in politics with religion and never wants to do so, the PM said her government has been working tirelessly so that the living standard of common people is improved following religious values.

She mentioned that religion used to create terrorism and militancy in the country in the past and thus confused the youth. "But, we don't want the youth to be on the wrong path, we want to groom them up with religious values and the essence of Islam."

Terming Islam as a religion of peace, Hasina renewed her vow to establish Bangladesh as a peaceful country in South Asia.

Noting that there is no place for terrorism, militancy and women repression in Islam since it is a religion of peace, the prime minister said despite that, incidents like these often take place.

She said her government has launched a training programme for associating religious leaders in tackling terrorism and militancy and controlling women repression.

Hasina said private hajj agencies and their organisation, Haab, have become well-organised for which hajj pilgrims do not fall victims to fraudulence these days.

As a result of the government's success, the number of hajj pilgrims has now climbed to 1,01,758 this year against 48,763 in 2008.

Hasina said her government has restored discipline in hajj management as well as ensured highest services for the hajj pilgrims, developed infrastructure and increased manpower in the hajj-related activities.

The prime minister said all irregularities and indiscipline in transportation of hajj pilgrims, accommodation in Mekkah and Medina and medicare services created by the BNP-Jamaat government have already been removed.

Besides, a five-year National Hajj Policy was framed, Hajj Mission in Mekkah strengthened while the office of the Hajj Wing shifted from Jeddah to Hajj Mission in Mekkah, she said.