Govt plans to cancel licences of errant Hajj agencies

The government is planning to reduce the number of Hajj agencies by cancelling their licences, as many fraudulent people are believed to have obtained such licences. Some Hajj agency owners are involved in fraudulent practices and do not send pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj or Umrah, even after receiving full payment from them. Such agency owners are also involved in trafficking people to Saudi Arabia in the name of Hajj or Umrah, which puts the government in an embarrassing situation and tarnishes the nation’s image abroad.

Some agency owners are yet to submit passports before the authorities concerned for visa, though the last Hajj flight will leave Dhaka for Saudi Arabia on August 5.

Some officials of the religious affairs ministry said this while talking to The Independent yesterday.

According to sources, about 1,250 agency owners have obtained Hajj licence to send Bangladeshi

nationals to Saudi Arabia for perform hajj. Of them, only 1,085 agencies are active.

Some important persons intending to perform Hajj this year, including

deputy inspector general of police Mainul, are yet get visa as the agency, Swadesh Overseas, is yet to submit their passports to the authorities concerned, religious affairs ministry sources said.

Another Hajj agency, MHM Overseas, took Tk 2,60,000 from a pilgrim, Mohammad Aman Ullah, in 2017, but the agency owner is yet to send him to Saudi Arabia for performing Hajj.

“We are trying for hassle-free Hajj activities this year. The overall Hajj work is going on well. We hope we will be able to complete the Hajj exercise smoothly,” state minister for religious affairs, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, told The Independent yesterday.

When told that some pilgrims are yet to get visa, he said: “The president of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) has taken the responsibility to send these pilgrims to perform Hajj.”

Terming the Hajj pilgrims as “guests of Allah”, the state minister said: “We are doing everything for the good of the pilgrims as per the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.”

When told that many fraudulent people had obtained Hajj agency licence, Abdullah said: “We are planning to reduce the number of agencies by cancelling some of the licences. We want to ensure that only genuine persons operate agencies. We will take the initiative after this year’s Hajj ends.”

Complaints had been received by the ministry and action would be taken as per the law, ABM Amin Ullah Nuri, joint secretary (Hajj) of the religious affairs ministry told this correspondent.

At least 46 pilgrims deposited money to Swadesh Overseas to perform Hajj this year, he said. The problem will be solved as the HAAB president has taken the responsibility.

“It is true that the number of Hajj agencies would be reduced by cancelling their licences. We are working on it,” he said in reply to a query.

Some 217 pilgrims are not going to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj this year due to personal problems, including sickness and shortage of funds, Nuri said.

A total of 1,07,292 pilgrims have already reached Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, he said, adding that the remaining 19,700 to be flown at the scheduled time.

“We have already received an allegation against MHM Overseas. A show-cause notice has already been served on the agency owner,” he said in reply to a query.

HAAB president Shahadadt Hossain Taslim said they have no problem if the number of Hajj agencies is reduced.

“Criminals have no right to operate Hajj agencies. We want genuine agency owners to operate their business. We will assist the government to make a list cancelling licences of those involved in fraudulent activities,” he said in reply to a query.

A total of 1,27,198 pilgrims will perform Hajj this year. Among them, 1,20,000 would go to Saudi Arabia under private management through 598 Hajj agencies and 7,198 under government arrangement.

Meanwhile, a total of 26 hajj pilgrims, including three women, have so far died in Saudi Arabia.

Muslims are scheduled to perform Hajj this year, which is likely to be held on August 10, depending on the new moon.

The first return passenger’s flight will begin on August 17 and continue till September 15.

Govt plans to cancel licences of errant Hajj agencies

The government is planning to reduce the number of Hajj agencies by cancelling their licences, as many fraudulent people are believed to have obtained such licences. Some Hajj agency owners are involved in fraudulent practices and do not send pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj or Umrah, even after receiving full payment from them. Such agency owners are also involved in trafficking people to Saudi Arabia in the name of Hajj or Umrah, which puts the government in an embarrassing situation and tarnishes the nations image abroad. Some agency owners are yet to submit passports before the authorities concerned for visa, though the last Hajj flight will leave Dhaka for Saudi Arabia on August 5. Some officials of the religious affairs ministry said this while talking to The Independent yesterday. According to sources, about 1,250 agency owners have obtained Hajj licence to send Bangladeshi nationals to Saudi Arabia for perform hajj. Of them, only 1,085 agencies are active. Some important persons intending to perform Hajj this year, including deputy inspector general of police Mainul, are yet get visa as the agency, Swadesh Overseas, is yet to submit their passports to the authorities concerned, religious affairs ministry sources said. Another Hajj agency, MHM Overseas, took Tk 2,60,000 from a pilgrim, Mohammad Aman Ullah, in 2017, but the agency owner is yet to send him to Saudi Arabia for performing Hajj. We are trying for hassle-free Hajj activities this year. The overall Hajj work is going on well. We hope we will be able to complete the Hajj exercise smoothly, state minister for religious affairs, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, told The Independent yesterday. When told that some pilgrims are yet to get visa, he said: The president of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) has taken the responsibility to send these pilgrims to perform Hajj. Terming the Hajj pilgrims as guests of Allah, the state minister said: We are doing everything for the good of the pilgrims as per the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. When told that many fraudulent people had obtained Hajj agency licence, Abdullah said: We are planning to reduce the number of agencies by cancelling some of the licences. We want to ensure that only genuine persons operate agencies. We will take the initiative after this years Hajj ends. Complaints had been received by the ministry and action would be taken as per the law, ABM Amin Ullah Nuri, joint secretary (Hajj) of the religious affairs ministry told this correspondent. At least 46 pilgrims deposited money to Swadesh Overseas to perform Hajj this year, he said. The problem will be solved as the HAAB president has taken the responsibility. It is true that the number of Hajj agencies would be reduced by cancelling their licences. We are working on it, he said in reply to a query. Some 217 pilgrims are not going to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj this year due to personal problems, including sickness and shortage of funds, Nuri said. A total of 1,07,292 pilgrims have already reached Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, he said, adding that the remaining 19,700 to be flown at the scheduled time. We have already received an allegation against MHM Overseas. A show-cause notice has already been served on the agency owner, he said in reply to a query. HAAB president Shahadadt Hossain Taslim said they have no problem if the number of Hajj agencies is reduced. Criminals have no right to operate Hajj agencies. We want genuine agency owners to operate their business. We will assist the government to make a list cancelling licences of those involved in fraudulent activities, he said in reply to a query. A total of 1,27,198 pilgrims will perform Hajj this year. Among them, 1,20,000 would go to Saudi Arabia under private management through 598 Hajj agencies and 7,198 under government arrangement. Meanwhile, a total of 26 hajj pilgrims, including three women, have so far died in Saudi Arabia. Muslims are scheduled to perform Hajj this year, which is likely to be held on August 10, depending on the new moon. The first return passengers flight will begin on August 17 and continue till September 15.