Hajj agencies want secy’s resignation
Terming the secretary and director (Hajj) of religion affairs ministry “corrupt”, leaders of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (Haab) today demanded their resignation within 24 hours following crisis over Hajj fight.
The Haab leaders at a press briefing in Dhaka threatened tougher movement along with around 1,400 Hajj agency members if the two officials do not step down within the given time.
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These two officials do not give their approvals to the documents of delivery order (DO) in due time and that’s why the entire process of making passengers’ fight list is delayed, Mohammad Ibrahim Bahar, president of Haab, told journalists at the briefing at a hotel in Nayapaltan.
This is why Biman has to cancel 15 to 16 Hajj flights, the Haab leader said.
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Ibrahim Bahar alleged that the director (Hajj) comes to his office at the middle of the night and does not give his approval to any of the documents unless he is given Tk 10,000 to 20,000 for each.
They also came up with a five-point demand and asked the prime minister to intervene to resolve the issue as soon as possible or else the fate of around 5,000 Bangladeshi pilgrims will be uncertain.
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On August 18, at an inter-ministerial meeting on "Fair and Smooth Hajj Management", it was told that visas of 69,451 Hajj pilgrims have already been processed and a total of 41,840 pilgrims had left Dhaka so far.
A total of 1,01,758 Bangladeshis is expected to perform Hajj this year. Biman and Saudia have been selected by the government for carrying the pilgrims.
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