Restrictions Curb Bangladeshis Hajj Dream
As world Muslims embark on hajj, a fewer number of Bangladeshi Muslims will have the chance to fulfill the soul-searching journey this year due to increasing restrictions imposed by both Bangladesh and the Saudi governments.
“Eagerness of Hajj is high among Bangladeshi people, but due to high cost, they are not fulfilling their desire,” Maulana Aminul Islam, an Islamic thinker, told OnIslam.net.
“If Bangladesh Government has taken the initiative to open land and waterways, then hajj pilgrims will increase every year.”
Charging their spiritual batteries, thousands of Bangladesh pilgrims have been preparing for the life-time journey next month.
According to official numbers, Bangladesh Hajj quota is 130 thousand in 2013.
Yet, this quota will not be fulfilled this year due to some restrictions, government obstacles and political unrest, leaving 40 thousand of Bangladesh quotas vacant this year.
The Saudi Arabian government approved 120,000 Bangladeshi pilgrims; but later the Saudi authorities requested Bangladesh to reduce the number of devotees by 20%, Secretary of the Religious Affairs Kazi Habibul Awal said.
Accordingly, only 89,179 Bangladeshis will perform Hajj this year, a small of porition of who, only 1,589, will travel and perform the holy pilgrimage under government management.
Millions of Muslims from around the world pour into Makkah every year to perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.
Hajj consists of several ceremonies, which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.
Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj at least once in a lifetime.
Last June, Saudi Arabia announced its plan to restrict the number of pilgrims for this year’s hajj over ongoing expansions at the holy sites in Makkah.
Saudi authorities said they will reduce the numbers of pilgrims coming from within the kingdom by half.
The numbers of overseas pilgrims will be reduced by 20 percent.
Source: OnIslam.net
“If Bangladesh Government has taken the initiative to open land and waterways, then hajj pilgrims will increase every year.”
Charging their spiritual batteries, thousands of Bangladesh pilgrims have been preparing for the life-time journey next month.
According to official numbers, Bangladesh Hajj quota is 130 thousand in 2013.
Yet, this quota will not be fulfilled this year due to some restrictions, government obstacles and political unrest, leaving 40 thousand of Bangladesh quotas vacant this year.
The Saudi Arabian government approved 120,000 Bangladeshi pilgrims; but later the Saudi authorities requested Bangladesh to reduce the number of devotees by 20%, Secretary of the Religious Affairs Kazi Habibul Awal said.
Accordingly, only 89,179 Bangladeshis will perform Hajj this year, a small of porition of who, only 1,589, will travel and perform the holy pilgrimage under government management.
Millions of Muslims from around the world pour into Makkah every year to perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.
Hajj consists of several ceremonies, which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.
Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj at least once in a lifetime.
Last June, Saudi Arabia announced its plan to restrict the number of pilgrims for this year’s hajj over ongoing expansions at the holy sites in Makkah.
Saudi authorities said they will reduce the numbers of pilgrims coming from within the kingdom by half.
The numbers of overseas pilgrims will be reduced by 20 percent.
Source: OnIslam.net
