Saudi Arabia introduces new rule for Bangladeshi umrah pilgrims

Saudi Arabia has introduced a mandatory daily food voucher requirement for Umrah pilgrims from Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Egypt, adding roughly 20 Saudi riyals per day to visa costs and threatening to push up the overall price of pilgrimage packages.

Under the new policy, set to take effect from the 1st of Rabi al-Awwal, pilgrims from the four countries must purchase compulsory Nusuk food vouchers as part of their visa fee, with accommodation, transport and meals for the group to be managed through a single application. Saudi authorities have enrolled roughly 10,000 restaurants across Mecca and Medina into the Nusuk app, and pilgrims will receive a special code linked to their visa that they can present at designated shops and restaurants to redeem meals.

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Saudi officials said the measure is intended to guarantee pilgrims access to standardised, orderly food services and to discourage unregistered vendors, though the added daily expense is expected to raise the total cost of Umrah packages from Bangladesh--a development travel agencies will need to factor into their pricing going forward.