Kamruzzaman Bablu :
The Civil Aviation Ministry’s proposal to increase air fare for each Hajj pilgrim’s by Tk 26,000 for this year has drawn much criticism.
The Religious Ministry and Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) have strongly protested the proposal terming it ‘unfare’.
They alleged said that Civil Aviation Ministry moved to raise the fare to cover up Biman’s losses that it suffers from other business sectors.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines usually ferry almost half of the Hajj pilgrims every year, while the Saudi Arabian Airlines carry the rest pilgrims.
Once the proposal is implemented, both the airliners will able to raise their revenues by Tk 1,200 crore from carrying the pilgrims, sources said.
Against this backdrop, the HAAB calls an emergency press conference today (Thursday) to draw the attention of authorities concerned in this regard.
“We do not agree with Biman’s proposal. The Saudia government does not impose any new charge for this year’s Hajj. Besides, the oil price is also declined in world market. In such situation, raising air fare by Tk 26,000 for each
pilgrim is totally unacceptable,” Sheikh Md Abdullah, State Minister for Religious Affairs told The New Nation yesterday.
But he said they are working to decrease the proposed air fare.
Sources said, the Civil Aviation Ministry made the proposal at an inter-ministerial meeting on Sunday ahead of upcoming Hajj-2020.
At the meeting, the Secretary of the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry Md Mohibul Haque placed the proposal to increase pilgrim’s this year’s air fare to Tk 1,54,000 from Tk 1,28,000 in last year.
The State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali also supported the proposal.
But the Religious Affairs Ministry agreed to increase Tk 12,000 against the proposal. As the Civil Aviation Ministry remained rigid on their proposal, at one stage State Minister for Religious Affairs Sheikh Md Abdullah and the HAAB leaders walked out from the meeting.
As a result, the meeting was adjourned and the matter of fixing pilgrim’s air fare is still undecided.
The Religious Ministry and HAAB blamed that the proposed air fare is three times higher than the normal fare of passengers who used to travel in Saudi Arabia.
According to HAAB, the Civil Aviation Ministry proposed Tk 1,40,000 air fair for each pilgrim this year, while a general passenger can travel with the cost of only Tk 50,000 in Dhaka-Jeddah route. The difference of air fare is over Tk1,00,000 between a Hajj pilgrim and a general passenger.
“If the pilgrim’s air fare is hiked, then the cost of total Hajj package will also go up. This will also create burden on the pilgrims,” M Shahadat Hossain Taslim, President of HAAB told The New Nation on Wednesday.
He said the cost of Hajj package, including airfare, have been raised over the last few years putting much pressure on Hajj pilgrims. Even many Bangladeshis have failed to perform Hajj due to high costs.
“Now, the government again proposed to raise the prices of air tickets making Hajj package costlier further,” M Shahadat Hossain Taslim said with a note of frustration.
The government is yet not announce the Hajj package for this year. But the two ministries are already in loggerhead over the pilgrim’s air fare issue, sources said.
Last year, the lowest Hajj package under the government management was Tk 3, 44,000. The air fare for per pilgrim was Tk1,24,723 only in 2018.
The Civil Aviation Ministry’s proposal to increase air fare for each Hajj pilgrim’s by Tk 26,000 for this year has drawn much criticism.
The Religious Ministry and Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) have strongly protested the proposal terming it ‘unfare’.
They alleged said that Civil Aviation Ministry moved to raise the fare to cover up Biman’s losses that it suffers from other business sectors.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines usually ferry almost half of the Hajj pilgrims every year, while the Saudi Arabian Airlines carry the rest pilgrims.
Once the proposal is implemented, both the airliners will able to raise their revenues by Tk 1,200 crore from carrying the pilgrims, sources said.
Against this backdrop, the HAAB calls an emergency press conference today (Thursday) to draw the attention of authorities concerned in this regard.
“We do not agree with Biman’s proposal. The Saudia government does not impose any new charge for this year’s Hajj. Besides, the oil price is also declined in world market. In such situation, raising air fare by Tk 26,000 for each
pilgrim is totally unacceptable,” Sheikh Md Abdullah, State Minister for Religious Affairs told The New Nation yesterday.
But he said they are working to decrease the proposed air fare.
Sources said, the Civil Aviation Ministry made the proposal at an inter-ministerial meeting on Sunday ahead of upcoming Hajj-2020.
At the meeting, the Secretary of the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry Md Mohibul Haque placed the proposal to increase pilgrim’s this year’s air fare to Tk 1,54,000 from Tk 1,28,000 in last year.
The State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali also supported the proposal.
But the Religious Affairs Ministry agreed to increase Tk 12,000 against the proposal. As the Civil Aviation Ministry remained rigid on their proposal, at one stage State Minister for Religious Affairs Sheikh Md Abdullah and the HAAB leaders walked out from the meeting.
As a result, the meeting was adjourned and the matter of fixing pilgrim’s air fare is still undecided.
The Religious Ministry and HAAB blamed that the proposed air fare is three times higher than the normal fare of passengers who used to travel in Saudi Arabia.
According to HAAB, the Civil Aviation Ministry proposed Tk 1,40,000 air fair for each pilgrim this year, while a general passenger can travel with the cost of only Tk 50,000 in Dhaka-Jeddah route. The difference of air fare is over Tk1,00,000 between a Hajj pilgrim and a general passenger.
“If the pilgrim’s air fare is hiked, then the cost of total Hajj package will also go up. This will also create burden on the pilgrims,” M Shahadat Hossain Taslim, President of HAAB told The New Nation on Wednesday.
He said the cost of Hajj package, including airfare, have been raised over the last few years putting much pressure on Hajj pilgrims. Even many Bangladeshis have failed to perform Hajj due to high costs.
“Now, the government again proposed to raise the prices of air tickets making Hajj package costlier further,” M Shahadat Hossain Taslim said with a note of frustration.
The government is yet not announce the Hajj package for this year. But the two ministries are already in loggerhead over the pilgrim’s air fare issue, sources said.
Last year, the lowest Hajj package under the government management was Tk 3, 44,000. The air fare for per pilgrim was Tk1,24,723 only in 2018.
