Hajj agencies want govt administrator at HAAB

Leaders of the Hajj-Omrah Agencies Welfare Association of Bangladesh (HOAWAB) yesterday demanded that the government appoint an administrator and annul the present executive committee of the Hajj Agencies’ Association of Bangladesh (HAAB). The leaders placed their demand during a meeting with Principal Motiur Rahman, minister for religious affairs, at his residence in the evening. Former HAAB president Jamal Uddin Ahmed, who is the coordinator of HOAWAB, led the delegation. Among others, HOAWAB member secretary and Bangladesh Pilgrims and Hajji Welfare Council president Abdullah Al Naser and HOAWAB joint coordinator Tajul Islam and functionary Nurul Haque were present during the meeting. Describing the present HAAB leadership as “corrupt” and comprising “human traffickers”, he said, “The government must appoint an administrator for the HAAB and hold a free and fair poll and hand over the charge to the newly-elected leaders.” He alleged that many HAAB leaders’ licences had been cancelled as they were involved in “human trafficking”. “Such corrupt leaders have no right to run the organisation,” he added.
He alleged that the present HAAB leaders had embezzled government funds of around Tk. 13 crore, which was borrowed by the HAAB to send an additional 5,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia last year. The leadership also embezzled around Tk. 10 crore by supplying 1.02 lakh sub-standard trolley bags to pilgrims this year, he claimed. Abdullah Al Naser demanded that the government form a judicial inquiry committee led by a High Court Justice immediately to probe the allegations against the current HAAB leadership.
The government has cancelled licences of 69 Hajj and Omrah agencies out of the total accused 104 agencies, as sought by the Saudi Arabian government, due to their alleged involvement in human trafficking in the name of Hajj and Omrah, he alleged.
The licences of the agencies of HAAB president Mohammad Ibrahim Bahar (Megatop Travel) and secretary general Shaikh Md. Abdullah (Sanjari Travels and Tours) were also cancelled, he said. When contacted, HAAB secretary general Shaikh Md. Abdullah said the allegations were baseless and fabricated. “Our licences were never cancelled. We are not involved in human trafficking,” he said. The decision to supply trolley bags to pilgrims was not one of HAAB, but was decided by the religious affairs ministry, Shaikh Md. Abdullah said.

Hajj agencies want govt administrator at HAAB

Leaders of the Hajj-Omrah Agencies Welfare Association of Bangladesh (HOAWAB) yesterday demanded that the government appoint an administrator and annul the present executive committee of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB). The leaders placed their demand during a meeting with Principal Motiur Rahman, minister for religious affairs, at his residence in the evening. Former HAAB president Jamal Uddin Ahmed, who is the coordinator of HOAWAB, led the delegation. Among others, HOAWAB member secretary and Bangladesh Pilgrims and Hajji Welfare Council president Abdullah Al Naser and HOAWAB joint coordinator Tajul Islam and functionary Nurul Haque were present during the meeting. Describing the present HAAB leadership as corrupt and comprising human traffickers, he said, The government must appoint an administrator for the HAAB and hold a free and fair poll and hand over the charge to the newly-elected leaders. He alleged that many HAAB leaders licences had been cancelled as they were involved in human trafficking. Such corrupt leaders have no right to run the organisation, he added. He alleged that the present HAAB leaders had embezzled government funds of around Tk. 13 crore, which was borrowed by the HAAB to send an additional 5,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia last year. The leadership also embezzled around Tk. 10 crore by supplying 1.02 lakh sub-standard trolley bags to pilgrims this year, he claimed. Abdullah Al Naser demanded that the government form a judicial inquiry committee led by a High Court Justice immediately to probe the allegations against the current HAAB leadership. The government has cancelled licences of 69 Hajj and Omrah agencies out of the total accused 104 agencies, as sought by the Saudi Arabian government, due to their alleged involvement in human trafficking in the name of Hajj and Omrah, he alleged. The licences of the agencies of HAAB president Mohammad Ibrahim Bahar (Megatop Travel) and secretary general Shaikh Md. Abdullah (Sanjari Travels and Tours) were also cancelled, he said. When contacted, HAAB secretary general Shaikh Md. Abdullah said the allegations were baseless and fabricated. Our licences were never cancelled. We are not involved in human trafficking, he said. The decision to supply trolley bags to pilgrims was not one of HAAB, but was decided by the religious affairs ministry, Shaikh Md. Abdullah said.