3-day Hajj, Umrah fair begins in city

The three-day National Hajj & Umrah Fair 2026 began in Dhaka on Thursday, allowing prospective pilgrims to book Hajj and Umrah packages directly with licensed agencies while benefiting from promotional offers and avoiding fraudulent intermediaries. 

Organised by the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) with support from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the fair is being held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Agargaon and will continue until Saturday.

Inaugurating the event, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat said the government is working to make the 2027 Hajj more affordable by reducing airfares and service charges in Saudi Arabia.

He said negotiations are underway with the Saudi authorities to reduce airport taxes and General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) charges, which currently cost pilgrims around Tk 10,000-11,000. Combined with lower administrative and aviation costs, these measures could reduce overall Hajj expenses by Tk 40,000-42,000 per pilgrim.

Following Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's directive, the government has already fixed Hajj airfare at Tk 130,000 by reducing Biman Bangladesh Airlines' profit margin. Millat said accommodation costs in Saudi Arabia also need to come down to further reduce Hajj package prices.

The minister also said the government had instructed the relevant authorities to clear around Tk 62 crore in outstanding dues owed to HAAB member agencies, enabling both large and small operators to participate more effectively in Hajj management.