Dhaka: Although there is a tradition of Munajjim visa for Hajj pilgrims every year, Hajids are asked to get business visa from the Ministry of Religion and Hajj Office. However, even with this visa, the agencies are not able to deposit any kind of money for proper management including renting houses for Hajids.
As a result, the owners fear that there may be chaos in the Hajj management this year. They sought the direct intervention of the Prime Minister to quickly resolve all the obstacles for the smooth management of Hajj.
The owners of the Hajj agency said this in a press conference organized at Tafazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall of the National Press Club on Wednesday (April 24) morning.
On behalf of the operating Hajj agency owners, Habibullah Mohammad Qutbuddin, the owner of Al-Qutub Hajj Travels, said that complications have arisen in the Hajj management due to the negligence and irresponsibility of some senior officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and some officials of the Mecca Hajj Mission. By doing this, they fear chaos in the Hajj management this year.
On April 18, a letter from the Hajj 1 branch of the Ministry of Religious Affairs informed the Saudi government that the issue of visas for Hajj passengers will be stopped on April 29. Hajj pilgrims must complete their visas by April 29. Actions will be taken against the agency in accordance with the Hajj and Umrah Management Act 2021, if the Hajj pilgrims’ journey is uncertain due to the agency’s negligence.
Earlier, on February 10, a letter from the Ministry of Religious Affairs informed that, according to the accommodation and catering decision of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the Saudi government is obliged to complete all types of online contracts (service companies, transportation, etc.) by February 25. But still 80 percent of the activities of many agencies are left.
In such a situation, Hajj agency owners requested the intervention of the Prime Minister for the smooth management of Hajj and to remove all obstacles.
They also make some specific recommendations. They are – The e-Hajj system should be updated by determining all the minar zones in a quick time. Final flight schedule announcement and Hajjatri tickets of all agencies should be confirmed. Confirmation of Barcode Visa for Mojams. To arrange quick deposit of Rials in the accounts of those who have not yet deposited Rials in their Saudi accounts.
They said, currently it takes one and a half months for the money to enter the Saudi account. If one has less than 1 paise in his account, he will not be able to perform Hajj. And at present it is quite impossible to calculate the various charges of the government at once. In addition, those who have not yet been vaccinated against meningitis and influenza should be vaccinated quickly.
They also demanded that the visa issue process be continued till one week before the last flight like other years. He also said that in the past, many people wanted to go for Hajj but died after all the preparations. Some are seriously ill. Also can’t go due to accidents etc. Therefore, if any other members of his family could have been arranged to go instead of that pilgrim, then the deposited money would not have been lost. In the current situation, if the visa issue is stopped so early, a lot of money will go to Saudi Arabia unnecessarily. It will harm the country. If we are able to explain this to the Saudi government, we believe that the Saudi government will understand the reality and consider it.
HM Barkatullah, Maulana Salim Hossain Azadi of Al Kaaba International Limited and many others were present in the press conference.
Bangladesh Time: 1435 hours, April 23, 2024
ESS/MJ
Tags: years Hajj management due visa complications
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