UNB, Dhaka :
As the remaining 62, 198 hajj pilgrims need to reach Saudi Arabia by August 28 next to perform hajj, the government and hajj agencies seem to have been on a war footing to do the uphill task, ferrying some 4,785 every day.
The authorities concerned said, they are confident that they will be able to overcome the challenges as they have already taken effective steps to carry about 4,500 pilgrims daily in 10 scheduled hajj flights of Biman and Saudi Airlines and 285 others in regular and additional flights of the national flag carrier to ensure that all the 127,198 pilgrims reach Saudi Arabia by the stipulated time.
“We’re working as per the High Court order to resolve the complexities relating to sending hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in due time,” Religious Affairs Secretary Abdul Jalil told UNB.
The problem has arisen because of frequent cancellation of flights due to visa complications and other problems.
He said, the government has already resolved the visa
complications through discussions with the Saudi authorities. “The Saudi Embassy will accept passports from hajj agencies until August 17, and will deliver all the passports with visas by the following day.”
Of the total 127,198 hajj aspirants, Jalil said, the passports of 126,000 were submitted to the Saudi embassy for visas. Around 123,000 passports have already been delivered with visas. “The remaining passports will be delivered with visas by August 18.”
Besides, he said, about 65,000 intending hajj pilgrims have already been carried to Saudi Arabia by Tuesday morning.
The secretary said, their ministry is sincerely working so that no pilgrim faces any problem to go to Saudi Arabia for any hajj agency’s negligence.
Earlier on Sunday, the High Court ordered the authorities concerned to take steps to resolve the complexities relating to sending hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia within 48 hours.
The court also ordered sending those intending pilgrims, who are yet to reach Saudi Arabia for performing hajj, by hiring private aircraft, if needed, and take action against those behind the mismanagement.
Jalil said, they will take action through investigations against those responsible for the hajj mismanagement.
Sources at the Religious Affairs and Civil Aviation ministries said some complications have cropped up for hajj pilgrims this year due to fraudulence of some hajj agencies, visa problems and cancellation of hajj flights.
They said some hajj agencies intentionally did not rent houses at the right time for the pilgrims as the Saudi authorities have increased the muallem (guide) fees and house rents. “The agencies did it with a hope that the house rent would get slashed at the last moment. So, at the eleventh hour, they cancelled the tickets they booked earlier as they could not rent houses for the pilgrims.”
Contacted, Religious Affairs Minister Principal Matiur Rahman said all the hajj pilgrims will reach Saudi Arabia by the stipulated time as they have sorted out all the emerging problems.
He said, they will take all the legal steps, including cancellation of licences, against those agencies responsible for cancellation of the flights.
The minister said some other problems relating to sudden increase in muallem fees and the imposition of a new levy of Saudi Riyal 2,000 on those who have registered to perform hajj for the second time and online visa process slowed down the sending of pilgrims this year.
AM Mosaddique Ahmed, Managing Director and CEO of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, said they had to cancel a total of 21 scheduled hajj flights due to the shortage of pilgrims, thanks to hajj agencies’ lack of coordination and failure to rent houses in Saudi Arabia. “About 5,000 pilgrims couldn’t go to their destination due to the cancellation of the flights.”
Biman will either cancel or reduce national carrier’s other flights on various international routes to carry those hajj pilgrims using additional seven slots with 14 newly availed of slots for flight operation, he said.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon said Biman is making all-out efforts to ensure smooth ferrying of the pilgrims, and asked the Biman authorities to carry the hajj pilgrims in its scheduled flights. “Biman has already executed it.”
Shahadat Hossain Taslim, secretary general of Hajj Agencies’ Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), said the visa complexities have almost removed. “Only 1-2 agencies are still facing the problem to get visa. I hope they’ll get visas by August 18.” Besides, he said, the complexities regarding the pilgrims’ house rent have also been settled.
Taslim assured that no more hajj flight will be canceled for the shortage of passengers.
As the remaining 62, 198 hajj pilgrims need to reach Saudi Arabia by August 28 next to perform hajj, the government and hajj agencies seem to have been on a war footing to do the uphill task, ferrying some 4,785 every day.
The authorities concerned said, they are confident that they will be able to overcome the challenges as they have already taken effective steps to carry about 4,500 pilgrims daily in 10 scheduled hajj flights of Biman and Saudi Airlines and 285 others in regular and additional flights of the national flag carrier to ensure that all the 127,198 pilgrims reach Saudi Arabia by the stipulated time.
“We’re working as per the High Court order to resolve the complexities relating to sending hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in due time,” Religious Affairs Secretary Abdul Jalil told UNB.
The problem has arisen because of frequent cancellation of flights due to visa complications and other problems.
He said, the government has already resolved the visa
complications through discussions with the Saudi authorities. “The Saudi Embassy will accept passports from hajj agencies until August 17, and will deliver all the passports with visas by the following day.”
Of the total 127,198 hajj aspirants, Jalil said, the passports of 126,000 were submitted to the Saudi embassy for visas. Around 123,000 passports have already been delivered with visas. “The remaining passports will be delivered with visas by August 18.”
Besides, he said, about 65,000 intending hajj pilgrims have already been carried to Saudi Arabia by Tuesday morning.
The secretary said, their ministry is sincerely working so that no pilgrim faces any problem to go to Saudi Arabia for any hajj agency’s negligence.
Earlier on Sunday, the High Court ordered the authorities concerned to take steps to resolve the complexities relating to sending hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia within 48 hours.
The court also ordered sending those intending pilgrims, who are yet to reach Saudi Arabia for performing hajj, by hiring private aircraft, if needed, and take action against those behind the mismanagement.
Jalil said, they will take action through investigations against those responsible for the hajj mismanagement.
Sources at the Religious Affairs and Civil Aviation ministries said some complications have cropped up for hajj pilgrims this year due to fraudulence of some hajj agencies, visa problems and cancellation of hajj flights.
They said some hajj agencies intentionally did not rent houses at the right time for the pilgrims as the Saudi authorities have increased the muallem (guide) fees and house rents. “The agencies did it with a hope that the house rent would get slashed at the last moment. So, at the eleventh hour, they cancelled the tickets they booked earlier as they could not rent houses for the pilgrims.”
Contacted, Religious Affairs Minister Principal Matiur Rahman said all the hajj pilgrims will reach Saudi Arabia by the stipulated time as they have sorted out all the emerging problems.
He said, they will take all the legal steps, including cancellation of licences, against those agencies responsible for cancellation of the flights.
The minister said some other problems relating to sudden increase in muallem fees and the imposition of a new levy of Saudi Riyal 2,000 on those who have registered to perform hajj for the second time and online visa process slowed down the sending of pilgrims this year.
AM Mosaddique Ahmed, Managing Director and CEO of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, said they had to cancel a total of 21 scheduled hajj flights due to the shortage of pilgrims, thanks to hajj agencies’ lack of coordination and failure to rent houses in Saudi Arabia. “About 5,000 pilgrims couldn’t go to their destination due to the cancellation of the flights.”
Biman will either cancel or reduce national carrier’s other flights on various international routes to carry those hajj pilgrims using additional seven slots with 14 newly availed of slots for flight operation, he said.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon said Biman is making all-out efforts to ensure smooth ferrying of the pilgrims, and asked the Biman authorities to carry the hajj pilgrims in its scheduled flights. “Biman has already executed it.”
Shahadat Hossain Taslim, secretary general of Hajj Agencies’ Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), said the visa complexities have almost removed. “Only 1-2 agencies are still facing the problem to get visa. I hope they’ll get visas by August 18.” Besides, he said, the complexities regarding the pilgrims’ house rent have also been settled.
Taslim assured that no more hajj flight will be canceled for the shortage of passengers.
