DHAKA: Bangladeshis who took part in this year’s Hajj began to return home on Thursday after completing the final pilgrimage rituals before leaving the holy city of Makkah.
A total of 85,252 Bangladeshi pilgrims were among almost 2 million Muslims who traveled to Makkah and Madinah to take part in the spiritual journey that is one of the five pillars of Islam.
They reached the Kingdom on 218 special flights that began one month ahead of the main rituals.
Most of the flights were facilitated under the Makkah Route initiative — the Kingdom’s flagship program launched in 2019 to streamline immigration procedures, helping pilgrims to meet visa, customs and health requirements at their airport of origin, and save them long hours of waiting before and on arrival in Saudi Arabia.
“The best part of this year’s Hajj management was the operation of Makkah Route facilities at Dhaka. It offered a pleasant journey to the Hajj pilgrims at the outset of their travel. It’s a testimony to Saudi hospitality for the Hajj pilgrims,” Shahadat Hossain Taslim, president of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh, told Arab News from Makkah as he oversaw preparations for the worshippers’ return.
“Many pilgrims expressed their utmost satisfaction with the management and the operations style of Makkah Route facilities at Dhaka. For the pilgrims, this Makkah Route facility is a privilege.”
Immigration processes have been frequently updated to make the procedures more accessible, particularly for the elderly and those with disabilities, as well as to ensure luggage is delivered straight to their hotels in Makkah and Madinah.
This year, new software and hardware were added at Dhaka airport, making the Makkah Route even faster than in 2023. On arrival in Saudi Arabia, processes have also been easier.
“Saudi authorities have increased the number of people in their Hajj management process. It offered ease to the pilgrims, availing any assistance or help,” Taslim said.
Emergency helplines and call centers were also improved, and ailing pilgrims were taken to “world-class treatment” facilities where they received the best care, he said.
“The Kingdom’s authorities are really successful here. Their hospitals are offering services in a way that whenever they receive patients, immediately the patient starts treatment ... The patient would receive up to tertiary-level care, and everything is free of cost. It’s a great offer in terms of Hajj management.”
First Bangladeshi pilgrims return home after completing Hajj rituals
https://arab.news/vryha
First Bangladeshi pilgrims return home after completing Hajj rituals
- More than 85,000 Bangladeshis perform pilgrimage this year
- Praise for ‘world-class’ treatment offered to ailing worshippers in Saudi Arabia
Scores killed in militant attacks in northwest Nigeria
- The attacks came days after the state hosted the UNESCO-listed Argungu fishing festival
- The Lakurawa group has been blamed for many of the attacks on communities
LAGOS: Militant fighters have killed scores of people and destroyed seven villages in raids in northwestern Nigeria’s Kebbi state, the police said Thursday.
Members of the Lakurawa group attacked villages in the Bui district of Arewa northern region at around 1:15 p.m. (1215 GMT) Wednesday, said Kebbi state police spokesman Bashir Usman.
A security report seen by AFP said the militants had killed “more than 30 villagers.”
Usman said: “Scores of people were killed as residents from Mamunu, Awasaka, Tungan Tsoho, Makangara, Kanzo, Gorun Naidal, and Dan Mai Ago mobilized to resist the attackers.”
The attackers had also rustled “some cattle” in the raids, he added. Police, soldiers and local militia were immediately sent to the area.
The attacks came days after the state hosted the UNESCO-listed Argungu fishing festival, about 60 kilometers (38 miles) from the Arewa region, where the attacks took place.
The Lakurawa group has been blamed for many of the attacks on communities in the northern part of the state and in neighboring Sokoto state.
Its members stage deadly attacks from their forest base, rustling livestock and imposing “taxes” on locals.
The Nigerian government said the Christmas day air strikes by the US military in Sokoto had targeted members of the group and “bandit” gangs.
Some researchers have linked the group to the Islamic State Sahel Province, which is active mainly in neighboring Niger and Mali, though others remain doubtful.
The activities of the group have compounded Nigeria’s insecurity.
The West African nation is grappling with a more than 16-year militant insurgency in the northeast, as well as a farmer-herder conflict in the north central region.
They also have to contend with a violent secessionist agitation in the southeast, and kidnappings for ransom plague the northwest.
Nigeria is now looking to the United States for technical and training support for its troops fighting the militants after a resurgence of violence strained relationships between the two countries.
The US Africa Command said 200 troops were expected to join the deployment overall.
US President Donald Trump has said the violence there amounts to the “persecution” of Christians — a framing long used by the US religious and political right wing.
Nigeria’s government and many independent experts say Christians and Muslims alike are the victims of the country’s security crises.
