Bangladesh’s 2027 Hajj quota increased to 83,500 after deal with Saudi Arabia

Bangladesh has secured an additional 5,000 places for pilgrims in the 2027 Hajj season under a new bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia, raising the country's total quota to 83,500.

The agreement was signed at 7pm local time on Monday (November 9) in Jeddah, in the presence of representatives from both countries.

Bangladesh's Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaykobad signed the agreement on behalf of Dhaka, while Saudi Arabia was represented by its Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah.

The Religious Affairs Ministry announced the agreement in a statement on Tuesday (November 10). Following the signing, the minister said Saudi authorities had agreed to allocate an additional 5,000 places after Bangladesh made a special request to increase its pilgrim quota. Bangladesh's original allocation for the 2027 Hajj was 78,500.

Under the revised allocation, 6,000 pilgrims will be able to perform Hajj under the government-managed system, while 77,500 places will be available through private operators. Previously, the private-sector quota stood at 72,500. The additional 5,000 places have therefore been allocated to the private management system.

Alongside the signing, representatives of the two countries discussed various aspects of Hajj management. Particular attention was given to the challenges of increasing the number of pilgrims because of limited tent capacity in Mina, Saudi Arabia.

In this context, Saudi authorities have assured Bangladesh that they would consider allocating places to Bangladeshi pilgrims on a priority basis if other countries fail to use their full Hajj quotas or if any country's allocation is cancelled. This could create an opportunity for Bangladesh to secure further increases in its pilgrim quota at a later stage.

The religious affairs minister said Saudi Arabia had pledged full cooperation to ensure the convenience of Bangladeshi pilgrims. In addition to increasing the quota, the Saudi minister of Hajj and Umrah also assured continued support at various stages of Hajj management.

Kaykobad expressed his gratitude to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Hajj and Umrah Minister Dr Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, and Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafar H. Bin Abiyah for their support.

He also said the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, was working to make Hajj management easier and more people-friendly while ensuring transparency throughout the process. Initiatives to improve services for pilgrims and reduce administrative complexities would continue, he added.

The initial registration process for the 2027 Hajj began on July 27 and ended on September 24. Pilgrims who completed preliminary registration have until December 10 to pay the remaining package fees and complete their final registration. The inclusion of the additional 5,000 places is expected to make further administrative decisions important for accommodating the extra pilgrims.

Senior officials from the Hajj and Umrah ministries of both countries, the ambassadors of Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia, and representatives of the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah attended the signing ceremony.