The chiefs of three separate panels of the Hajj Agencies' Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) have expressed their intention to establish a corruption- and irregularity-free HAAB and Hajj management in future. They also promised to punish those involved in human trafficking in the name of Hajj and Umrah, if their panels win in the election.
Against this backdrop, members of HAAB, the apex body of the country’s Hajj agents, will elect their new leadership today. A total of 1,157 voters out of around 1,400 members will cast their ballots to elect the new HAAB leaders.
Three separate panels—led by the present HAAB secretary general, Shaikh Md. Abdullah, former president Jamal Uddin Ahmed and Awami League leader Abdus Sobhan Bhuiyan Hasan—are contesting the polls for its 27 posts of central committee and 27 more posts of Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet zonal committees.
Shaikh Abdullah and his running mate, Farid Ahmed Majumder, are leading the panel of the HAAB Democratic Forum, while Jamal Uddin and Helal Khan, senior vice-president of HAAB, are leading the HAAB Coordination Council Panel. Sobhan Bhuiyan is leading the HAAB Democratic United Front Panel.
However, a section of the candidates is apprehending clash and massive rigging in the election, claiming that the present  HAAB leadership is trying to change the results of the poll through the election commission and appeal board. These two have persons known to be close to the present leadership.