Steps taken to protect pilgrims from harassment
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said her government enacted the Hajj and Umrah Management Act-2021 for ensuring smooth hajj pilgrimage by Bangladeshi devotees.
"We have taken proper measures so that the hajj pilgrims can travel and perform hajj without facing any harassment," she said.
The PM was addressing an event marking the inauguration of the Hajj Programme-2022. The event was held at the Hajj camp in the capital's Ashkona, with the PM joining virtuallyfrom the Gono Bhaban.
Hasina said the measures were taken following her experiences as she found many irregularities in hajj management (for Bangladeshi pilgrims) since she first performed Umrah in 1984, and the hajj in 1985 at the invitation of the Saudi Arabian king.
"We made efforts to improve the hajj management after coming to power in 1996 and we have been able to improve the management in phases."
The premier urged everyone to uphold the dignity of Islam, the religion of peace. She also called upon the hajj pilgrims to pray for Bangladesh so that the country and its people can remain protected from natural disasters and pandemics like Covid-19 and they can have decent lives.
Hasina asked the pilgrims to abide by the Saudi Arabian rules and laws while performing the hajj there.
The first hajj flight, carrying 419 pilgrims from Bangladesh, is scheduled to depart for Saudi Arabia tomorrow.
The PM said her government turned the country into Digital Bangladesh. "As the e-Hajj management was introduced, the pilgrims don't endure suffering now like they did in the past. We've been able to put an end to the suffering."
She said it is the government's duty to ensure that pilgrims can perform hajj and offer prayers smoothly.
Hasina thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud for giving the scope for the hajj pilgrims to travel to the kingdom as they couldn't go there for the last two years due to the pandemic.
The premier exchanged pleasantries with the pilgrims and requested them to offer prayers for the people of Bangladesh and her family members who were brutally killed in 1975.
The hajj is likely to be held on July 8 (subject to sighting of the moon) with the participation of one million pilgrims from all over the world this year as the pandemic situation is a little better. Of them, 57,585 from Bangladesh would perform the rituals.
Before the pandemic, 127,198 Bangladeshi pilgrims performed hajj in 2019.
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