Saudi Arabia has made it mandatory for Bangladeshi pilgrims performing Haj in 2023 to have COVID-19 shots as well as vaccines against meningitis and seasonal influenza.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs said in a notice on its website that priority will be given to Bangladeshis who have not performed Haj this year.
Children as young as 12 can also go to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage.
People with comorbidities will not be allowed to perform the annual pilgrimage.
This year the quota of Haj pilgrims from Bangladesh is 127,198.
Under government arrangements, 15,000 pilgrims will go to Saudi Arabia for Haj. The rest will travel under private contracts.