Biman Bangladesh Airlines is considering a proposal to reduce the price of Hajj flight tickets by Tk. 20,000 this year. As a result, the price of Hajj return tickets may be Tk. 175,000.

The interim government has taken the initiative to reduce the price of this year's Hajj package. This new fare of Biman may be determined as part of this. Last year, the price of this ticket was Tk. 194,000. Hajj may be held in the first week of June next year. This time, 127,198 people will be able to go for Hajj. An agreement related to Hajj will be signed with Saudi Arabia on January 13.

The registration of Hajj passengers has started from September 1. So far, 2,000 Hajj passengers have officially registered for Hajj. More than 63,000 Hajj passengers have registered privately so far.

Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain has taken the initiative from the beginning to complete this year's Hajj journey in an affordable package.

Meanwhile, if VAT, airport usage fees, and other expenses are waived, Hajj pilgrims can get another Tk. 10,000 discount from these places.

It is expected that Hajj pilgrims will be able to go for Hajj at a total cost of TK. 30,000 if they get discounts on air ticket prices and other expenses. Last year, the Saudi riyal exchange rate for Hajj was 29.74 taka, this time it has increased to 32 taka. Therefore, other expenses in Saudi Arabia may increase by about TK. 24,000.

To reduce the cost of Hajj this time, the government is examining whether it is possible to send Hajj pilgrims by sea. This will reduce the cost of Hajj by 40 percent. It will take about 16 days to go for Hajj by sea (round trip).

Meanwhile, the government has emphasized the zero tolerance policy regarding irregularities in Hajj. Along with this, the rule that officials and employees were allowed to accompany Hajj pilgrims for free during this year's Hajj is being discontinued.

It is worth noting that the holy Hajj is scheduled to be celebrated on June 1, subject to the sighting of the moon. Bangladesh has received a quota of 127,198 people for the 2025 Hajj. The Hajj agreement with the Saudi government will be concluded on January 13. This year's Hajj package will be announced on October 30.

Dhaka City College Principal Kazi Mohammad Niyamul Haque and Vice Principal Md. Mokhlesur Rahman are protesting with 7-point demands, including the resignation of the students. That is why the college's classes and examinations have been postponed for three days.

According to the latest demand of the students, Professor Md. Jahangir Hossain of the Department of Accounting has been expelled for 6 months. However, nothing has been announced about the resignation of the principal and vice principal.

This information was given in a notice signed by the acting principal of the college, Professor Kazi Niyamul Haque, on Tuesday (October 29) night.

Earlier, after the fall of the government on August 5, there is an allegation against the acting principal Kazi Niyamul Haque of taking Principal Bedar Uddin Ahmed hostage and forcing him to resign. He even fired 16 people, including teachers and employees, on various pretexts, taking responsibility. The latest victim was Associate Professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering Md. Jahangir Alam Sumon.

A notice purportedly ignoring the students' main demands stated that seven decisions were taken unanimously in an emergency meeting of the Dhaka City College Board of Directors. The decisions are —

1. Professor of the Department of Accounting Md. Jahangir Hossain has been expelled for 6 months for abusing students.

2. A committee has been formed to investigate the reason for the expulsion of Associate Professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering Md. Jahangir Alam Sumon and if the investigation proves him innocent, he will be reinstated as soon as possible.

3. All the fees previously collected from students for retakes will be refunded. No fees will be charged for special classes or coaching.

4. No disciplinary action will be taken against any student who is protesting. A decision regarding the picnic will be taken after discussing with the students.

5. No student's guardian will be harassed or insulted.

The notice further states that the reasonable demands of the protesting students have been accepted. Therefore, the students have been urged to stop the ongoing protest and restore the normal educational environment of the college. At the same time, it has been mentioned that the college authorities always consider the emotions and feelings of the students with great importance.

Dhaka: Former Agriculture Minister Vice- Principal Md. Abdus Shahid has been arrested by the police from Uttara in the capital.

He was arrested from Sector 10 area of Uttara on Tuesday (October 29) night.

Uttara West Police Station OC Hafizur Rahman confirmed the matter.

He said that after receiving information about the whereabouts of former minister Abdus Shahid, the police conducted a raid on his house in Sector 10 of Uttara around 11:30 pm yesterday. He has been arrested in three cases filed in connection with the murder during the anti-discrimination movement.

Abdus Shahid was elected from Moulvibazar-4 (Srimangal-Kamalganj) in the 12th Jatiya Sangsad election. He was elected as a member of parliament seven times in a row from that seat.

Abdus Shahid started teaching at Kamalganj Gano Mahavidyalaya in Moulvibazar in 1973. He is the president of the central committee of Bangabandhu Shishu Academy and a member of the presidium of the central committee of Awami Jubo League.

Dhaka: Bangladesh Udichi Shilpi Gosthi has expressed its determination to continue the struggle for justice and rights in the melody of folk music.

On Tuesday (October 29), the guests present expressed this determination at the Baul and Mystic song program titled 'Manush Chadaya Khyapa're Tui Mool Harabi' organized by Udichi Shilpi Gosthi at the Central Shahid Minar in the capital to mark its 56th founding anniversary.

Udichi Central Sangsad President Professor Badiur Rahman said, "We are not very easy. He said that we are scared, do you know where we have some fear? Don't lose that root. We don't lose this root. The root of humans is humanity, the root of humans is human love, human love, the call for humanity. The root of this Bengali nation is our independence. My golden Bengal, I love you, you surely remember the last two lines? Mother, if your body is dirty, I will be in tears. When does your mother's body get dirty, ask yourself. How bright is the body of the motherland, mother and now.

He said, you know that in the continuation of the quota movement, we have brought down the dictatorial government, this is our victory. We have achieved victory. Instead of one government, another government has been formed. The government is running the country. We, on behalf of the organization, can only say this much, changing the government of a country does not change the state of that country. The state Bangladesh is Smith's truth. This truth is not obtained by anyone's gift. This truth is the achievement of the Bengali nation. We cannot establish the status quo by removing any movement. Our core is this Bengali nation and Bangladesh. The achievement of Bangladesh is the Constitution of 1972. Today, there is talk of changing the constitution. How to change the constitution of a state is clearly written in the constitution. Please read it and then tell us your decision. If you go beyond the constitution on the basis of which you have taken the oath, various questions may arise. The truth is very difficult. The truth is as true as the truth. There is no deviation. For the past 56 years, the Bangladesh Udichi group has been inspiring a sense of humanity by singing songs of awakening among the people and is moving forward by doing so.

Baul saint Shafi Mandal said, Udichi is an institution before the birth of Bangladesh. It is an institution of culture and an industrial group. I hope that music will not only be entertainment, but also a tool for social change, and by organizing today's 56th founding anniversary of Udichi, we hope that we will once again remove the discrimination in our minds.

Baul saint Shafi Mandal officially inaugurated the event. Later, the discussion began under the chairmanship of Professor Badiur Rahman, President of the Udichi Central Parliament. Amit Ranjan Dey, General Secretary of the Udichi Central Parliament, Shahidul Islam Bhuiyan, father of Farhan Fayaz, a student who gave his life in the mass uprising of the students and the public against the autocratic Awami League government, and mother, Farhana Diba, participated in the discussion. Baul saint Saidur Rahman Boyati, former general secretary of Udichi Rezaul Karim Siddique Rana and Dr. Lelin Chowdhury also spoke.

After the discussion, the cultural performance began. At the beginning of this performance, Udichi dancers performed a group dance. Then, Udichi bachik artists came on stage with a group recitation performance. Later, artists from Udichi's music department performed some Baul and folk songs. They performed some popular songs by Lalon Sai, Hason Raja, Shah Abdul Karim, Radharman Dutta. Udichi vice-president Belayet Hossain performed a solo recitation.

At the 56th anniversary of Udichi, Udichi Central Sangsad Vice President Mahmud Selim and Habibul Alam, Surya Lal Das, Purna Chandra Mandal, Kalpana Khan, Shahinur Alamin, Abinash Baul, Anan Baul, Fateh Ali Khan Akash, etc. performed solo songs. In addition, artists from Udichi Jagannath University Sangsad, Badda Branch, Gendaria Branch, Demra Branch and Rayerbazar Branch presented a collective performance.

Bangladesh Udichi Artists Group was established on October 29, 1968 with the aim of fighting for the liberation of the people and establishing a non-communal, exploitation-free, non-discrimination, communist society.