Online Desk: The government has extended the deadline for Hajj registration till March 30 at the special request of pilgrims. The Ministry of Religious Affairs issued a notice on Monday announcing the extension of registration deadline. The server for the hajj registration will automatically be stopped once the registration quota is filled, it added.

Earlier on January 9, the government signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia over Hajj. According to the agreement, 15,000 people will be able to go to Hajj under government management while 112,198 can go under private management. This year, 70 percent Bangladeshi pilgrims will go through Jeddah Airport while the rest 30 percent will go through Madinah Airport.

Meanwhile, the government reduced the cost of hajj packages under both public and private managements by Tk11,725 as Saudi Arabia has reduced a service charge for the intending pilgrims worldwide. Pilgrims who will perform hajj under the government management have to pay Tk 6, 71,290 each to perform hajj this year after deduction of Tk 11,725. Besides, those who will go under private management have to pay Tk 6, 60,893 each after deduction of the amount.