Bangladeshi intended hajj pilgrims will have to spend more to perform hajj this year, mainly due to increases in airfare and visa fees, as the government today approved the draft hajj package with three categories.

Intended hajis will have to pay Tk 4.25 lakh to avail package-1 and Tk 3.60 lakh under package-2 to perform hajj under the government management which is Tk 6,500 and Tk 16,000 more than the previous year respectively.

Considering affordability, the government for the first time introduced a new category, package 3, under which a pilgrim will be able to perform hajj at a cost of Tk 3.15 lakh.

Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam came up with the information at a press briefing at the Secretariat following the Cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's Office with PM Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The cabinet secretary said that the hajj packages were fixed according to the distance of the accommodation of pilgrims.