Fate of 65,000 pilgrims still uncertain
Saudi Hajj and Umrah Ministry yesterday extended the visa application deadline by four more days -- till May 11, amid the uncertainty about getting visas for around 65,000 Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims.
The Religious Affairs Ministry on Monday sent a letter to Saudi authorities requesting them to extend the deadline as private hajj agencies couldn't ensure the visas within the deadline, May 7.
Earlier, Saudi authorities extended the deadline by eight days as private hajj agencies failed to complete the visa process of most pilgrims within the then deadline of April 29.
Despite extending the deadline twice, it is still uncertain whether all pilgrims will get visas, as many private agencies have yet to rent houses in KSA, which is mandatory for applying for visas.
Amid the situation, hajj flight operations by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Saudia and Flynas will begin today.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate this year's hajj programme on May 8.
A total of 85,107 Bangladeshi people are scheduled to perform hajj this year, of which, 80,688 are under private hajj management.
According to Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), as of yesterday, 20,000 pilgrims under private agencies have got visas, and 3,700 under government hajj management have secured them.
Contacted, Additional Secretary (Hajj Wing) of the ministry, Matiul Islam, said private agencies did not take the visa issue seriously from the beginning.
They made delay in completing formalities in Saudi end, including renting houses, depositing money, and receiving Moallem, he said.
Hajj agencies should have gone to the KSA long ago to rent houses for pilgrims, as Saudi authorities do not issue visas without renting houses, he added.
He claimed some owners of hajj agencies willfully make delays in renting houses to get houses at cheaper prices.
Matiul, however, hoped there will eventually be no issues.
HAAB President M Shahadat Hossain Taslim said, "In the previous years, we could apply for visas until the last week of hajj flight. But from this year, Saudi authorities have asked to complete visa formalities before the beginning of first hajj flight, making things challenging."
Taslim alleged that the religious affairs ministry couldn't manage necessary visas for representatives of hajj agencies on time, for which they couldn't go to KSA to rent houses.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has recently announced new rules regarding the issuance of Hajj visas, specifying that the visa will only permit travel to Jeddah, Medina, and Makkah.
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