Saudi aid agency helps thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh
In January alone, it distributed more than 43 tons of food baskets benefiting 9,000 people living in camps in the southern city of Cox's Bazar
Updated 06 June 2021
Lama Alhamawi
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) recently distributed 500 food baskets in Bangladesh, benefiting 2,500 Rohingya refugees and those in need.
The center has continued its mission in aiding people displaced from Myanmar who are currently living in refugee camps in Bangladesh.
KSrelief launched the project to support the Rohingya in Bangladesh in December, aiming to provide support and food security in 20 regions and benefiting more than 120,000 refugees.
In January alone, it distributed more than 43 tons of food baskets benefiting 9,000 people living in camps in the southern city of Cox's Bazar.
It has continued the program, increasing the number of beneficiaries monthly, distributing 1,000 food baskets to help 5,000 people in May.
There have been 20 humanitarian projects to support Bangladesh since the launch of KSrelief, 13 of which are related to food distribution.
The center has provided nearly $7 million in support to refugees and families in need, and commits to continuing its humanitarian efforts to provide health and food security in Bangladesh.
Makkah Route Initiative: Enhancing the experience for once-in-a-lifetime journey
The initiative involves dedicated services at 12 airports in 8 countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkiye, Morocco, the Maldives and Cote d’Ivoire
Now in its seventh year, more than 1m pilgrims benefitted from the initiative, says ministry
Updated 4 sec ago
Rashid Hassan
RIYADH: The Makkah Route Initiative by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior aims to make the once-in-a-lifetime journey easy for foreign pilgrims by enhancing their Hajj experience.
Now in its seventh year, the initiative is carried out by the ministry as part of the Vision 2030 Pilgrim Experience Program.
The ministry recently announced that more than 1 million pilgrims have benefited from the initiative since its launch, reaffirming the Kingdom’s commitment to serving Hajj pilgrims.
Makkah Route Initiative: A farewell wave, and a smile preceded by satisfaction as a pilgrim completing the procedures with ease at Karachi Airport. (Supplied/X/Makkah Route Initiative)
Established in 2018 and activated in 2019, the initiative enables pilgrims to complete their entry procedures to Saudi Arabia at their home countries’ airports.
Upon arrival in the Kingdom, pilgrims and their luggage are directly transported to their accommodation in the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, avoiding long lines and wait times at the airport.
Pilgrims arriving under the initiative spend only a few minutes at the Saudi immigration counters.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Makkah Route Initiative enables pilgrims to complete their entry procedures to Saudi Arabia at their home countries’ airports.
• Pilgrims arriving under the initiative spend only a few minutes at the Saudi immigration counters.
It includes dedicated lounges at 12 airports in eight countries — Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkiye, Morocco, the Maldives and Cote d’Ivoire.
Malaysian pilgrim Hasna Hamza, who arrived for her pilgrimage last week, expressed her heartfelt thanks to the Saudi government for facilitating the journey.
Makkah Route Initiative: A farewell wave, and a smile preceded by satisfaction as a pilgrim completing the procedures with ease at Karachi Airport. (Supplied/X/Makkah Route Initiative)
Aged 74, she described the process as “smooth, respectful and deeply spiritual.”
She completed her travel procedures in Kuala Lumpur — including biometric collection, health screening, passport validation and luggage processing.
Upon arrival in Madinah, she and fellow pilgrims were swiftly transferred to their accommodation with their luggage.
Bangladesh Ambassador M. Delwar Hossain welcoming the Bangladeshi pilgrims at King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah. (Supplied/Embassy of Bangladesh)
Naved Hasan, a Pakistani pilgrim told Arab News that the initiative enables pilgrims “to be fully committed to performing one of their holiest duties with peace of mind.”
Mohammed Mubarak, a Bangladeshi pilgrim, added: “Completing all the necessary procedures before leaving my home country saved me a lot of time and stress.”
The first group of 414 Bangladeshi pilgrims arrived at the Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on April 29.
A Hajj pilgrim completing the procedures with ease upon arrival under Makkah Route Initiative. (File photo)
Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia M. Delwar Hossain welcomed them at the airport, and assured that the Bangladesh Embassy, Consulate and Bangladesh Hajj Mission were available to support them.
The program, led by multilingual national teams and supported by advanced technology, ensures a smooth and spiritual experience for all pilgrims.
Underscoring Saudi Arabia’s commitment to pilgrims through the Makkah Route Initiative, Saudi Ambassador to Morocco Dr. Sami Al-Saleh said the initiative “streamlines Hajj procedures and ensures a peaceful journey for pilgrims traveling from their home countries to the Kingdom.”
Makkah Route Initiative: A Hajj pilgrim completing the procedures with ease at Jakarta Airport. (Supplied/X/Makkah Route Initiative)
Al-Saleh added that the widely embraced initiative in Morocco enables pilgrims to fulfill all travel procedures at Mohammed V International Airport in their home country.
Saudi Arabia launched the Makkah Route Initiative in the Maldives this week, making it the eighth country to benefit.
Officially inaugurating the initiative at Velana International Airport in Male on Monday, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu presented the passport to the first pilgrim from a group of 234.
The ministries of media, health and Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia run campaigns through social media to provide all the necessary information.
The Ministry of Hajj has reiterated that all intending to perform Hajj must obtain an official permit through the “Nusuk” platform, in technical integration with the unified digital platform for Hajj permits, “Tasreeh.”
The ministry emphasized that compliance with regulations is essential to protect the safety and well-being of pilgrims, and to ensure a smooth and secure Hajj experience.
In an official statement, the ministry stressed that no separate visa category — other than the official Hajj visa — grants its holder the right to perform Hajj.
Hefty fines up to SR100,000 ($26,000) will be enforced for anyone attempting to perform Hajj without the necessary visa.
The Makkah Route Initiative is run in coordination with several government entities, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and Ministry of Media, the Saudi Data and AI Authority, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, the General Authority for Awqaf, the Pilgrim Experience Program and the General Directorate of Passports.
Saudi Arabia launches Makkah Route Initiative in Maldives
Maldives is eighth country to benefit, following Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkiye, Morocco, Ivory Coast
Updated 19 min 41 sec ago
Rashid Hassan
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has launched its Makkah Route Initiative in the Maldives, making it the eighth country to benefit from the scheme.
The other seven countries are Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkiye, Morocco and the Ivory Coast.
President of the Maldives Dr. Mohamed Muizzu inaugurated the route at Velana International Airport in Male on Monday, in the presence of the Chairman of the Makkah Route Supervisory Committee Lt. Gen. Sulaiman Al-Yahya, Minister of Islamic Affairs in the Maldives Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, and several other officials.
Maldives President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu inaugurating the Makkah Route Initiative at Velana International Airport in Male in the presence of Chairman of the Makkah Route Supervisory Committee Lt. Gen. Sulaiman Al-Yahya, and Maldives Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed. (Supplied)
The President’s Office posted on X: “President Dr @MMuizzu officially inaugurates the Makkah Route Initiative, accompanied by first lady madam @sajidhaamohamed.
“The president presented the passport to the first pilgrim utilizing the Makkah Route Initiative, while the first lady presented the passport to the second pilgrim.”
The first group of 234 Maldivian pilgrims left Male Airport under the initiative for Saudi Arabia.
This is a tremendous honor for the Maldivian people.
Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, Maldives Minister of Islamic Affairs
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Ali Saeed described the occasion as a proud moment for all Maldivians.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs in the Maldives said it noted that the positive changes initiated in Hajj affairs under Muizzu’s administration were now coming to fruition, transforming the pilgrimage experience for Maldivian pilgrims.
The minister said: “This is a historic page in our efforts to ease and enhance the Hajj journey for our citizens.”
Ali Saeed expressed sincere gratitude to Muizzu for his strong support and commitment to making the Makkah Route Initiative a reality for the Maldives.
He further revealed that the inclusion of the Maldives in the Makkah Route Initiative was made possible through special exemptions granted by Saudi Arabia, with the personal approval of King Salman.
“This is a tremendous honor for the Maldivian people,” he added, recognizing the close and valued relationship between the two nations.
The Makkah Route Initiative is designed to provide high-quality services to pilgrims from beneficiary countries by streamlining travel procedures in their home countries and facilitating the smooth and seamless completion of process at their designated embarkation points.
This includes collecting biometric data, electronically issuing Hajj visas, completing passport procedures at the departure airport following health verification, coding and sorting luggage according to transportation and accommodation arrangements in the Kingdom, and transferring pilgrims to buses to their residences in Makkah and Madinah.
Partner agencies are responsible for delivering the luggage to pilgrims’ accommodation in the holy cities.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Tuesday condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli officials and settlers under the protection of Israeli forces on Monday.
The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry reiterated its condemnation of the continued flagrant violations of international law and brutal attacks on the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Crowds of Israelis streamed through Jerusalem’s Old City, where some scuffled with residents and hurled insults at Palestinians, as annual celebrations of Israel’s capture of east Jerusalem took place on Monday.
Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, to mark the occasion.
Jerusalem Day, as the celebrations are known, commemorates Israeli forces taking east Jerusalem during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
The Kingdom affirmed its categorical rejection of anything that undermines the historical and legal status of Jerusalem and its holy sites.It called on the international community to hold Israeli authorities accountable for their ongoing violations against Islamic holy sites and innocent civilians in Palestine.
RIYADH: The crescent moon for the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, during which the annual Hajj pilgrimage takes place, has been sighted, the Supreme Court announced on Tuesday.
This means that the pilgrimage — which all healthy and wealthy Muslims are required to undertake once in a lifetime — will start on June 4 with the pilgrims gathering in the Tent City of Mina. The day of Arafah will fall on June 5.
Muslims who are not performing the pilgrimage this year will celebrate Eid Al-Adha on June 6.
The Supreme Court urged Muslims across the Kingdom to look out for the crescent moon on Tuesday — Dhu Al-Qa’dah 29 — and report any sightings as soon as possible to their nearest court.
The Kingdom has announced a weeklong Eid holiday for both public and private sector workers.
Riyadh hosts first UK-Saudi Infrastructure Assembly meeting
‘We want to create a better system for doing business together,’ says lord mayor
Updated 27 May 2025
Lama Alhamawi
RIYADH: The Lord Mayor of the City of London Alastair King launched the first meeting of the UK-Saudi Infrastructure Assembly in Riyadh on Tuesday to enhance financial and professional cooperation between the two countries.
The initiative is in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment, the UK’s Department for Business and Trade, and the City of London Corporation.
“We want to create a better system for doing business together. What we are launching is the UK-Saudi Infrastructure Assembly — a platform bringing together various parties involved in infrastructure investment,” King told Arab News ahead of the meeting.
The new strategic partnership aims at boosting collaboration between the UK’s financial and professional services sectors and Saudi Arabia’s sustainable infrastructure developers.
King said the assembly would help Saudi and UK counterparts to prepare for more joint projects in the Kingdom.
“That means that the costs will go down because they do not have to go through all the mobilization costs. The cost of capital can fall if you have got those companies absolutely ready,” he said.
“I think that is a very exciting example of the sort of collaboration that we have between the UK and Saudi Arabia.”
The assembly has brought together leading Saudi and UK firms, policymakers, and industry experts to shape the future of sustainable infrastructure investment.
It has focused on projects such as the new Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Company, led by the Public Investment Fund, and the Prince Faisal bin Fahad Sustainable Sports City, led by Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Privatization.
King highlighted other areas with potential for greater cooperation, including regulatory alignment, the insurance sector, and cultural exchange.
He said: “We see remarkable opportunities in sectors like asset management. It is something that we do very well. In the UK we have the second-largest investment management industry in the world.
“We have around £10.9 trillion ($14.7 trillion) under management in the UK. We’re looking for all kinds of collaboration with Saudi Arabia in that area.”
He added: “I think we would like to see more collaboration on the legal side as well. (Some) 80 percent of global contracts are under English law.”
King said that he would meet government ministers, regulators, family offices, and members of the insurance industry during his time in Riyadh.
When asked why he chose to visit the Kingdom at this time, King said: “It is a remarkable moment. We have got major developments in the UK that present a good set of opportunities for Saudi parties.”
King added that he would return to Riyadh in October for the Future Investment Initiative.
