Hajj for 17,853 still uncertain
Rise in Moallem fees, visa complications reasons
STAFF REPORTER
About 17,853 Bangladeshi pilgrims have not been able to fly to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj due to increase in Moallem fees, e-visa complications and other reasons, civil aviation and tourism minister Rashed Khan Menon said yesterday.
However, the minister gave the assurance that all Hajj-related problems, including the flight schedule debacle, would be resolved within a day or two. He was talking to reporters after an emergency meeting at the Secretariat. It was held to discuss the situation and find ways to make the Hajj pilgrimage smooth and trouble-free.
The minister said the increase in Moallem fees by the Saudi government was one of the main reasons for disruption in the Hajj flight schedule. The issue will hopefully be settled soon, as the Saudi government is scheduled to hold a meeting today (Wednesday) in this regard, he added.
After receiving e-visas from the Saudi embassy, Hajj agencies are facing problems in printing them, which is another reason behind the cancellation of Hajj flights.
A total of 29,839 pilgrims have reached Jeddah to perform Hajj. Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Saudi Arabian Airlines have cancelled 15 flights due to shortage of passengers, the minister said.
About 6,000 pilgrims failed to go Saudi Arabia due to cancellation of 15 flights, he added. The Saudi government has increased Moallem fees to 1,500 Riyal. An additional 2,000 Riyal have to be paid by those who performed Hajj in 2015 and 2016, he said.
As Hajj agencies send passports of a group of aspiring pilgrims together for visas, it is necessary to print their visas together, HAAB sources said. When a pilgrim does not get the printed copy of the e-visa, the entire group has to miss a flight.
This year, the Saudi government started e-visas for the Hajj pilgrims.
Those who performed Hajj in 2015 or 2016 have to pay an additional 2,000 Saudi Riyals for performing Hajj for the second time, the minister said. It is another reason for not getting visas in time.
He said the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh will urge Saudi Arabia to increase slots for the cancelled flights to take pilgrims, as 12 Biman flights and three Saudi Airlines flights have so far been cancelled due to shortage of pilgrims over visa complications.
From now on, regular fights of Biman Bangladesh Airlines will carry Hajj pilgrims, cutting down the number of other passengers, he added. Menon said 92,000 pilgrims have submitted their passports to the Saudi embassy for visas to perform Hajj this year. In all, 46,792 pilgrims have received visas, while 47,476 others are yet to get them, he added.
Of the visa recipients, 29,839 pilgrims have already left for Saudi Arabia. Every year, most of the pilgrims leave for Saudi Arabia within the first 10 days of the beginning of Hajj flights.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Saudi Airlines are carrying the Bangladeshi pilgrims. Some 177 flights were scheduled to carry the hajj pilgrims till August 26. Of them, only 29 dedicated flights and eight scheduled ones have so far taken off for Saudi Arabia.
Around 127,198 pilgrims were scheduled to perform Hajj from Bangladesh this year under government and private managements.
Representatives of the religious affairs ministry and the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), along with senior officials of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, were present at the meeting with Menon.
