Govt seeks Saudi levy cut to lower Hajj airfare further: State Min for Tourism

The government has requested the Saudi authorities to reduce the airport construction levy imposed on airline tickets in a bid to further bring down travel costs for Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat said on Thursday.

"Last year, we reduced the airfare by 12,000 taka per ticket. This year, we have reduced it by a further 25,000 taka, bringing the airfare down to 130,000 taka," he said.

Millat made the remarks while inaugurating the three-day National Hajj and Umrah Fair 2026, organised by the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka.

He said the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has undertaken a series of initiatives to make Hajj more affordable and hassle-free.

The state minister said the government had also held extensive discussions with the Saudi ambassador to Bangladesh to secure special facilities that would help reduce accommodation costs for Bangladeshi pilgrims.

Reaffirming the government's commitment to ensuring affordable Hajj packages, Millat warned that anyone found defrauding pilgrims would face the strictest legal action.

Speaking at the event, Religious Affairs Secretary Munshi Alauddin Al Azad, NDC, said only about five percent of Bangladeshi pilgrims perform Hajj under the government management system, while the remaining 95 percent travel through private Hajj agencies.

He urged Hajj agency owners to refrain from any activities that could tarnish the country's image or undermine public confidence in Hajj management.

Deputy Head of Mission of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Bangladesh Khalid Saeed Al Hadal, HAAB leaders and prospective Hajj pilgrims, among others, attended the inaugural ceremony.