Hajj registration ends today

Although the deadline for Hajj pilgrims’ registration will come to an end today (Monday), most of the Hajj agents have abstained from registering the pilgrims as their demands have not been met.
Leaders of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), senior Hajj agents and pilgrims yesterday demanded that registration period be extended to April 30 this year.
Information relating to only 51,337 pilgrims of 487 Hajj agencies was entered into the government’s registration server system until Sunday evening.
The rest of the Hajj agencies have boycotted the registration process, demanding extension of the registration time and removal of the IT firm Business Automation.
However, religious affairs secretary Md. Abdul Jalil has urged the pilgrims and Hajj agents to complete the registration by today (Monday) to ensure smooth Hajj management for Bangladeshi pilgrims.
“The government has decided to complete the registration by April 10 after consulting the stakeholders, including the HAAB leaders. It was decided in the presence of the religious affairs minister. If it is necessary to extend the date again, the minister will take a call. But it may hamper the Hajj management system as the time of registration has already ended. The Saudi government has given us verbal approval to complete the registration by April 12,” he added.
He also added that if the registration is not completed on time, thousands of pilgrims would face uncertainty in performing the Hajj this year despite pre-registering their names. Regarding the demands of HAAB leaders, Abdul Jalil said they wanted removal of the IT firm, having brought allegations of irregularities against it. The firm was probed but no fault or irregularity was found in the system, he added. “Now, they want to ensure pilgrims’ quota on the basis of equal opportunity. It’s not possible. If the scope of equal opportunity is given, the serial of registration will be broken. Other agencies and pilgrims will not allow the breach of the system,” he added.
However, HAAB secretary general Shaikh Md. Abdullah, who is also the panel leader of HAAB Democratic Forum in the upcoming election, told this correspondent that until the demands of the HAAB are fulfilled, the Hajj agents will not register their pilgrims for Hajj.
“The HAAB leaders submitted the demands to the Prime Minister, the minister and the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on religious affairs. They assured us that our demands will be met. We hope the government will extend the registration time till April 30. By this time, the Hajj agents will get passports and Hajj fees in hand,” he added.
Talking to this correspondent, HAAB Coordination Council panel chief Jamal Uddin Ahmed has said that they too would not register their pilgrims until the demands are met.

Hajj registration ends today

Although the deadline for Hajj pilgrims registration will come to an end today (Monday), most of the Hajj agents have abstained from registering the pilgrims as their demands have not been met. Leaders of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), senior Hajj agents and pilgrims yesterday demanded that registration period be extended to April 30 this year. Information relating to only 51,337 pilgrims of 487 Hajj agencies was entered into the governments registration server system until Sunday evening. The rest of the Hajj agencies have boycotted the registration process, demanding extension of the registration time and removal of the IT firm Business Automation. However, religious affairs secretary Md. Abdul Jalil has urged the pilgrims and Hajj agents to complete the registration by today (Monday) to ensure smooth Hajj management for Bangladeshi pilgrims. The government has decided to complete the registration by April 10 after consulting the stakeholders, including the HAAB leaders. It was decided in the presence of the religious affairs minister. If it is necessary to extend the date again, the minister will take a call. But it may hamper the Hajj management system as the time of registration has already ended. The Saudi government has given us verbal approval to complete the registration by April 12, he added. He also added that if the registration is not completed on time, thousands of pilgrims would face uncertainty in performing the Hajj this year despite pre-registering their names. Regarding the demands of HAAB leaders, Abdul Jalil said they wanted removal of the IT firm, having brought allegations of irregularities against it. The firm was probed but no fault or irregularity was found in the system, he added. Now, they want to ensure pilgrims quota on the basis of equal opportunity. Its not possible. If the scope of equal opportunity is given, the serial of registration will be broken. Other agencies and pilgrims will not allow the breach of the system, he added. However, HAAB secretary general Shaikh Md. Abdullah, who is also the panel leader of HAAB Democratic Forum in the upcoming election, told this correspondent that until the demands of the HAAB are fulfilled, the Hajj agents will not register their pilgrims for Hajj. The HAAB leaders submitted the demands to the Prime Minister, the minister and the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on religious affairs. They assured us that our demands will be met. We hope the government will extend the registration time till April 30. By this time, the Hajj agents will get passports and Hajj fees in hand, he added. Talking to this correspondent, HAAB Coordination Council panel chief Jamal Uddin Ahmed has said that they too would not register their pilgrims until the demands are met.