HAAB seeks permission to buy trolley bags for pilgrims

Even though registration of Hajj pilgrims is yet to be completed, leaders of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) want permission to buy trolley bags for the pilgrims.

It is alleged that the HAAB leaders had earned an additional profit of Tk. 10 crore by selling 102,000 poor quality travel bags among the Hajj pilgrims at Tk. 2,000 per bag last year. The market price of each bag was about Tk. 1,000.
Selling of trolley bags being a profitable venture, the HAAB leaders want to buy them at any cost, though the present association's tenure will end in April and new office-bearers of HAAB will be elected on April 20.
However, officials of the religious affairs ministry disagree with HAAB’s proposal.
Association leaders have started pursuing ministry high-ups, seeking permission to purchase the bags ahead of the HAAB election.
The owner of a trolley bag-making company, preferring anonymity, told this correspondent that 60 per cent of the allocation the government makes each year is spent on buying trolley bags. The rest of the money lines the pockets of HAAB leaders and some ministry officials, he alleged.
Pilgrims will have to pay Tk. 2,500 for each bag this year, which was Tk. 2,000 in 2016 and Tk. 1,700 in 2015, sources in Hajj agencies told The Independent. The bags that were given in the last couple of years were bought for Tk. 800 to Tk. 1,200, they said. The rest of the allocated funds for buying trolley bags was spent as commission or profits of the leaders or government officials relevant to the procurement process, the sources added.
According to ministry officials and traders, as there is scope of earning a commission and irregularities in making or buying trolley bags, the present HAAB leaders are desperate to start the process ahead of the association's election.
The present HAAB leaders who are contesting the upcoming election fear they will lose the poll. In this situation, they want to ensure their commission or share of profits from the trolley-buying process before the election, they claimed.
The traders said the pilgrims can get a superior quality bag, if the entire allocation is spent on buying or making the trolley bags as per the sample provided by the government.
According to ministry sources, a number of Hajj agents had submitted applications to the religious affairs ministry, urging the government to decentralise the bag procurement process among the agents, or transfer the responsibility to the ministry.  
In the application, the Hajj agents also requested the ministry not to allow HAAB leaders to start the trolley bag procurement process before the association's election, sources said.
When contacted, HAAB secretary general Shaikh Md Abdullah said they are not pursuing anybody for allowing them to start the trolley bag purchase process. A section of the agencies is trying to spread rumours against them to tarnish their image ahead of the election, he added.
“HAAB usually buys bags as per the Hajj policy of the government to ensure the same quality for all pilgrims. Sometimes low quality bags were supplied due to low price. 

HAAB seeks permission to buy trolley bags for pilgrims

Even though registration of Hajj pilgrims is yet to be completed, leaders of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) want permission to buy trolley bags for the pilgrims. It is alleged that the HAAB leaders had earned an additional profit of Tk. 10 crore by selling 102,000 poor quality travel bags among the Hajj pilgrims at Tk. 2,000 per bag last year. The market price of each bag was about Tk. 1,000. Selling of trolley bags being a profitable venture, the HAAB leaders want to buy them at any cost, though the present associations tenure will end in April and new office-bearers of HAAB will be elected on April 20. However, officials of the religious affairs ministry disagree with HAABs proposal. Association leaders have started pursuing ministry high-ups, seeking permission to purchase the bags ahead of the HAAB election. The owner of a trolley bag-making company, preferring anonymity, told this correspondent that 60 per cent of the allocation the government makes each year is spent on buying trolley bags. The rest of the money lines the pockets of HAAB leaders and some ministry officials, he alleged. Pilgrims will have to pay Tk. 2,500 for each bag this year, which was Tk. 2,000 in 2016 and Tk. 1,700 in 2015, sources in Hajj agencies told The Independent. The bags that were given in the last couple of years were bought for Tk. 800 to Tk. 1,200, they said. The rest of the allocated funds for buying trolley bags was spent as commission or profits of the leaders or government officials relevant to the procurement process, the sources added. According to ministry officials and traders, as there is scope of earning a commission and irregularities in making or buying trolley bags, the present HAAB leaders are desperate to start the process ahead of the associations election. The present HAAB leaders who are contesting the upcoming election fear they will lose the poll. In this situation, they want to ensure their commission or share of profits from the trolley-buying process before the election, they claimed. The traders said the pilgrims can get a superior quality bag, if the entire allocation is spent on buying or making the trolley bags as per the sample provided by the government. According to ministry sources, a number of Hajj agents had submitted applications to the religious affairs ministry, urging the government to decentralise the bag procurement process among the agents, or transfer the responsibility to the ministry. In the application, the Hajj agents also requested the ministry not to allow HAAB leaders to start the trolley bag procurement process before the associations election, sources said. When contacted, HAAB secretary general Shaikh Md Abdullah said they are not pursuing anybody for allowing them to start the trolley bag purchase process. A section of the agencies is trying to spread rumours against them to tarnish their image ahead of the election, he added. HAAB usually buys bags as per the Hajj policy of the government to ensure the same quality for all pilgrims. Sometimes low quality bags were supplied due to low price.