Hajj management would be very challenging this year as almost all hajj-related activities are yet to start with just two months to complete those, said organisations involved in it.
The largest annual congregation of the Muslims is going to be held in Saudi Arabia in the second week of July.
"Hajj management is a massive work which used to begin seven to eight months before the hajj in previous years. But almost all activities are yet to start this time. We have two months at best to finish those," said M Shahadat Hossain Taslim, president of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (Haab).
Eyaquib Sharafati, senior vice-president of the platform, said they were yet to conclude the primary task of hajj this year which is causing concern among hajj pilgrims.
Top officials of the religious affairs and civil aviation ministries echoed the views of Haab.
Haab President Shahadat said nothing has been done so far except for declaring the airfare.
"Even the most crucial part of hajj management -- declaring hajj package -- remains to be done."
On Wednesday, Haab sent a letter to the religious affairs ministry asking it to declare the package urgently and speed up the other hajj-related activities.
Shahadat said many activities are involved in the hajj management.
In the last two years, hajj was held on a limited scale with pilgrims from only Saudi Arabia due to the pandemic.
Usually, 20-25 lakh people from across the world are permitted to perform hajj every year. Around 1.27 lakh Bangladeshis were allowed in 2019.
The Saudi government last week announced that it would allow one million people from around the world to perform hajj this year.
Some 57,585 Bangladeshis could do the pilgrimage this year. Of them, 4,000 will perform hajj under government management and the rest under private management, said sources at the religious affairs ministry.
HAJJ AGENCIES' CHALLENGES
Shahadat said hajj agencies will have to finish huge tasks within a very short time this year.
He said they will have to finalise the number of hajj agencies, determine monazzem (representative of a hajj agency who coordinates all tasks of hajj in Saudi Arabia), rent houses or hotels for pilgrims, send money for renting house, pay moallem (guide) fees and other expenses to Saudi Arabia.
There are some other tasks including arrangement of food for pilgrims and ensuring transport for them, he added.
"As the government is yet to declare the hajj package, the agencies couldn't start the other related tasks," Haab Senior Vice-president Eyaquib told The Daily Star.
He said after the announcement of the hajj package, hajj flights would be finalised on completion of the pilgrims' visa procedures.
In a special circular yesterday, the religious affairs ministry urged the hajj pilgrims to complete registration and apply for visas within a short time.
It said people below 65 (from July 1, 1957), as per their passports,will be considered eligible for performing hajj this year.
All registered pilgrims will have the opportunity to perform hajj, the ministry also said.
Pointing to the huge challenge, State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haque Khan recently said due to the time constraint, everyone involved in the hajj operation will have to do their tasks sincerely for ensuring smooth hajj management.
He also asked all concerned to work day and night in this regard.
