Photo: Collected
The Hajj agencies are reluctant to follow the government’s instructions for maintaining the country’s reputation as well as ensuring the safety of Hajj pilgrims. In this respect, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has issued a warning to the Hajj agencies.
A pilgrim was detained at Jeddah airport for carrying cartons of tobacco to Saudi Arabia. Also, the instruction of not taking money from the pilgrims for sacrificial animals is not obeyed. In addition, many pilgrims are getting into trouble since many agencies are not providing them with Hajj guides.
Hajj Agency Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) says that they are trying to follow the instructions of the government. If someone disobeys, there is no objection to punishment against him. And the officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs say that no one will be spared if the instructions are not followed.
According to the latest information on, 4 thousand 562 hajis and 80 thousand 695 hajis will perform hajj in government and private administrations respectively. The formalities started on May 9 with the airline's first dedicated flight carrying 415 Hajis, which will end on June 10. Hajj may be held on June 16 depending on the moon. The number of Hajj agencies participating this year is 259. The first return flight of the Hajis is on June 20 and the last return flight is on July 22. 15 thousand 515 Hajis ha reached Saudi Arabia from Bangladesh till 1:59 AM on.
They have reached in a total of 39 flights. Out of this, 3 thousand and 747 individuals are Hajj pilgrims have reached in government administration, and 11 and 768 have reached through private agencies. So far 74 and 897 visas have been issued.
Before the start of Hajj activities, the Ministry of Religious Affairs gave several instructions to the members of the HAAB and the pilgrims this time. This included not taking extra money, providing Hajj guide lines and giving a clear idea to the pilgrims about this, not taking separate money for sacrificial animals, not taking tobacco.
But still there have been reports of getting tobacco cartons on Hajj flights in the last few days. In this incident, some passengers were detained at Jeddah airport. Besides, there are well-documented reports that many passengers are in trouble due to lack of proper guide lines. Apart from this, news has been published in the media that sacrificial animal money is being taken by the agencies from Hajis.
After that, the Ministry of Religious Affairs held a meeting with Abdur Rahman, Director General of Jeddah Airport Service of the Saudi Hajj and Umrah Ministry, on the Zoom platform at 7:30 PM Bangladesh time on Sunday. In addition to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Bangladesh Hajj Office, Makkah and Jeddah officials and owners of Hajj agencies participated in this meeting.
In the meeting, dissatisfaction was expressed on the part of Saudi Arabia over the flight data not being properly and regularly entered in the Saudi e-Hajj system by the Hajj agency. Apart from this, the incident of Haji's flight from Bangladesh with tobacco being detained and the news of taking money from the Hajis for the sacrificial animal also came up in that meeting.
Then on Tuesday, the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Bangladesh issued a warning in this regard. It has been said that if any agency takes money for sacrificial animals from any Haji or sends tobacco cartons on Hajj flights then action will be taken against them.
In this regard, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Motiul Islam told The Daily Messenger that many agencies have continued to do so even after giving instructions not to send tobacco and not to take money for buying sacrificial animals. It is ruining the reputation of the country. The agency involved in this incident will not be spared.
HAAB president Shahadat Hossain Taslim said, they are trying to follow the instructions of the ministry. If someone does it without guidance, they have to take responsibility.
Messenger/Disha
