Shah Alam Nur :
Bangladeshi hajis, after facing immense problems due to inordinate delay in getting return flights following Hajj rituals and other mismanagement, have again fallen into a fresh trouble in collecting their baggage at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA).
Airport sources said about 35,000 hajis have so far arrived since September 28 and many of whom were found suffering while collecting their luggage.
Bangladesh Biman and Saudi Airlines are carrying hajis from Saudi Arabia. Of the total 35,000 hajis, about 20,000 have been carried by the national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines and rest by Saudi Airlines.
As many as 400 passengers of Biman Bangladesh Airlines that arrived in last 10 days did not get their luggage. Of them, many are now staying at the airport and saying they would not leave the airport without their belongings.
Khandaker Sipar Ahmed, a Bangladeshi haji, who returned on October 1, said he had paid all the fees to have his luggage brought to Bangladesh but he is yet to receive it.
He said “Hajj pilgrims are facing this sort of problems every year and Biman Bangladesh Airlines should be blamed for all these troubles because of its mismanagement.”
Nazrul Islam of Patuakhali said his flight arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport two days ago but still “I haven’t got my luggage. Don’t know when I shall get them.”
Latifa Begum of Chanpainawabganj also made similar allegation, saying: “I had to wait at the airport (in Jeddah) for 24 hours. Now I can’t find my luggage here on arrival.”
Rafiqul Islam of Shahjahanpur, Bogra, said he returned to Dhaka at 4:00am on Wednesday by a Biman flight, but did not receive his luggage even after 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon told The New Nation on Thursday, “We have taken a number of initiatives for reducing the harassment of hajis at the airport.” He said that he had already given instruction to Biman officials for proper handling of the luggage.
He said, “We won’t tolerate any passenger hassle regarding luggage handling. Stern action would be taken, if anyone found responsible for the hassle.”
Sources said some airlines, mainly Saudi Airlines, carried many passengers leaving behind their baggage at the origin airport of the flights in Jeddah.
They said the situation worsened as Biman Bangladesh airlines is also facing the same hurdle during operating their return hajj flights. An official of Biman Bangladesh Airlines said they are failing to carry passengers and their baggage in the same flight due to strict security measures taken by the Saudi authorities in Jeddah Airport.
He said all passengers arriving now are facing hurdles to get their in-flight luggage as space around most of the conveyor belts are jammed with unaccompanied baggage.
