Ministry asks pilgrims to ensure permits for Hajj trips

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has requested Hajj trip-seekers to not perform the pilgrimage without a permit in the interest of proper management.

Citing the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Interior, the religious affairs ministry said anyone caught attempting to perform the Hajj pilgrimage without a permit would be fined up to 20,000 Saudi riyals.

Assistance in such violations will incur up to 100,000 Saudi riyals, it added.

The Saudi government has introduced fresh rules to strengthen security and crowd control, alongside the pilgrims’ entry to Makkah. They are now required to carry permission from authorities to enter Makkah, proof of residence in Makkah, and a Hajj permit.

Citing the Saudi government, the ministry said if any outsiders extend their stay in Makkah beyond the mentioned period or attempt to perform Hajj without legal permission, they would be thrown out and banned from the country for a decade.

This provision will be in effect from Zilqad 1, or Apr 29, to 14 Zilhaj, or Jun 10. In this period, no one will be able to enter or stay in Makkah or surrounding areas without permission. The Saudi government has said that there will be maximum surveillance on those entering Saudi Arabia with a visitor's visa.

Religious Affairs Advisor AFM Khalid Hossain said, “It’s mandatory to follow the rules and regulations announced by the Saudi government in the interest of the proper and disciplined management of Hajj. Bangladesh’s many interests are intertwined with Saudi Arabia’s. Nearly 3.5 million Bangladeshis work in Saudi, which is our top source of remittance."