Staff Reporter :
The first Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying Bangladeshi pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj this year will begin from July 14.
As such, the processing of issuing visa for hajj pilgrims for this year is going on without any hassle and that of 1500 pilgrim’s visa under private management and 5000 under government management were completed till Tuesday, said M Shahadat Hossain Taslim, Secretary General of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB). According to Ministry of Religious Affairs, this year, a total of 127,198 pilgrims- 7,198 under government management and 120,000 under private management- will perform Hajj from Bangladesh, said the Religious Affairs Minister Motiur Rahman while speaking in a press briefing about the Hajj management situation and flights schedule in his ministry’s office earlier.
‘The government has taken necessary steps so that the pilgrims can go to Saudi Arabia smoothly’ he added.
Besides, action will be taken against Hajj agencies if they are found taking money less or more than the government package, Motiur Rahman said.
He also that said the authorities concerned were asked to take necessary steps in maintaining the Hajj flight schedule.
The government has approved a total of 774 Hajj agencies for sending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia this year.
The government has also opened a hotline 09602666707 in the Religious Affairs Ministry for lodging complaints regarding irregularities, he said. It will remain open for providing information about Hajj.
On the occasion of staring flight the Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister AKM Shahjahan Kamal and Religious Affairs Minister Principal Motiur Rahman will inaugurate the first hajj flight from the HSIA.
Biman Bangladesh Air lines will carry 63,599, the half of the total hajj pilgrims, and the other half will be carried by Saudi Airlines, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia.
The Biman’s post hajj flight will start on September 6 and end on October 5. The national flag carrier will operate 177 pre-Hajj flights, 144 dedicated and 33 scheduled and 169 post hajj-flight, 139 dedicated and 30 scheduled, sources said.
Meanwhile, the owners of hajj agencies and pilgrims want 15 percent to 20 percent more replacement facilities for the pilgrims by overstepping of the government’s decision to allow only four percent replacement facilities.
Bangladesh Pilgrims and Hajji Welfare Council, an apex body for the hajj agents and pilgrims, on Monday the raised the demand sending a statement.
The body also feared that more than 13,000 pilgrims out of total 1,27,198 pilgrims’s quota allocated for the country would miss the opportunity to perform hajj this year, if the government continues its decision to allow only four percent replacement facilities.
Council President Dr. Abdullah Al Naser and General Secretary Md. Abdul Baten said that the government allowed 15 percent replacement facilities for the hajj agencies last year. Taking the advantage, a total of 18,300 pilgrims could enter their names and perform hajj.
