Hajj is no longer only a religious ritual. It has become a business, as some related departments are involved in making money by sending pilgrims to perform hajj in Saudi Arabia, it is alleged.
It is also alleged that a syndicate, with the help of some corrupt Biman Bangladesh Airlines officials, are planning to pocket around Tk. 70 crore by selling tickets this year.
A total of 127,198 Bangladeshi pilgrims will perform Hajj this year.
According to sources, the Biman authorities have already distributed 63,000 air tickets among 104 agencies instead of 635 operating agencies. A total of 21,000 pilgrims will go to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj in the first phase, 21,000 in the second and 21,000 in the third phase with Biman. The rest will fly with Saudi Airlines.
Interestingly, the Biman authorities have also allocated tickets to Hajj agencies whose licences have been suspended.
Leaders of the Hajj Agencies' Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) and Bangladesh Hajj Jatri and Haji Welfare Council have expressed resentment over the distribution of Biman tickets by some airlines officials.
There are 635 Hajj operating agencies, HAAB sources said, adding that Biman officials have allocated 63,000 tickets to 104 agencies.
They also alleged that some agencies have received 50–100 tickets, while 20 agencies were given 2,000–5,000 tickets.
However, the deprived Hajj agents and a section of the pilgrims feared a ticket racket by Hajj agencies having extra tickets.
The syndicate would take around Tk. 10,000 to 15,000 more for each of the tickets from the deprived agencies.
According to their estimate, the ticket syndicate may earn Tk. 65 crore to Tk. 90 crore more by selling the tickets to the agencies in three phases. A section of the Biman officials are also involved in this racket, they alleged.
“Muslims perform Hajj as a religious ritual. But some people are involved in making money during the Hajj season,” Abdullah Al Naser, president of the Bangladesh Hajj Jatri Welfare Council, told The Independent.
About Tk. 15,000 will be charged additionally per ticket per passenger from its actual
price in the first phase, Tk 2,500 in the second phase and Tk. 15,000 in the third phase by the ticket syndicate, sources alleged.
Some present and past leaders of the Hajj Agencies’ Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) and the Association of Travel Agencies of Bangladesh (ATAB) are involved in the racket, some Hajj agency owners alleged.
The Cabinet, on January 30, fixed the fare at Tk. 1,24,723 for those who had registered to perform Hajj this year. But on July 4, Bangladesh Biman Airlines added Tk. 2,866 without any circular, Naser, who is also a HAAB leader, told this correspondent.
The Biman authorities must withdraw the additional Tk 2,866, he said.
He also said that the Biman authorities must distribute tickets among the operating agencies as per their actual demand.
When contacted, Md Ashraf, general manager (sales) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, told this correspondent that the allegation brought against them is baseless.
“It’s not true that we’re involved with the syndicate in selling ticket. Tickets are being sold as per rules,” he said in reply to a query.
Regarding extra charge, the Biman official said that Tk. 2,866 is being charged as tax and other purposes, which was not included during approval of the ticket price by the government.