Minara Helen: 20,000 pilgrims from the United States have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj this year. Among them, there are about three thousand expatriate Bangladeshis in 20 states of the United States. However, this year, more than 2 million devout Muslims from 160 countries will perform Hajj, said Sean Murphy, consular consultant of the US mission in Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al Rabia.
Pilgrims from other countries including Bangladesh have already arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam. It is reported that 1 lakh 27 thousand 198 people from Bangladesh have gone for Hajj this year. Hajj will be held on June 27 this year in Saudi Arabia. The next day is Eid-ul-Azha in Saudi Arabia on June 28. And in Bangladesh, Eid-ul-Azha is on June 29. This time, more than two million people from more than 160 countries of the world will perform the holy Hajj, said the Minister of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia. Tawfiq Al Rabia.
Related sources said that the number of Hajj pilgrims has increased almost twice this year. Last year, about 1 million people went to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj.
Every year, most people from Indonesia get the opportunity to perform Hajj. This time too, it is not the opposite. Last year, 1 lakh 51 people from Indonesia had the opportunity to perform Hajj this time. Pakistan was in second place. Pilgrims from Pakistan were 81 thousand 132 people. India was in the third position. 79 thousand 237 Indians had the opportunity to perform Hajj last year. Meanwhile, Bangladesh was in the fourth position. Last year in 2022, like other countries, Bangladesh was given a limited quota of 60 thousand 146 pilgrims. The state minister for religion mentioned that the quota of pilgrims has increased by 148 percent from 2009 to 2023.
Last year, the least number of people from the African country of Angola had the opportunity to perform Hajj. Only 23 people from the country were allowed to perform Hajj by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Affairs of Saudi Arabia. Among the Arab countries, 35 thousand 375 people from Egypt, among the African countries, the most 43 thousand 8 people from Nigeria got to perform Hajj.
Apart from this, 38 thousand 481 people from Iran and 37 thousand 770 people from Turkey got the opportunity of Hajj.
Last year, 9 thousand 504 people from the United States, 11 thousand 318 from Russia, 9 thousand 190 from China and 91 people from Ukraine got the opportunity to perform Hajj this year. But this time its number has doubled, according to related sources.
BP/SM
