Editorial
Hajj uncertain for some
Too many loose ends
Though Hajj is a regular yearly phenomenon, yet the authorities every year put up a pathetic show of incompetence in performing their responsibilities right from the outset. Each year both ballottee and non-ballottee pilgrims suffer from a plethora of problems as incompetent officials and staff of the relevant ministries fail to do their jobs properly and within time. We have noted with a degree of consternation that things did not improve even after the people at the helm of affairs have been changed. There are also the vicious vested groups that wait for the Hajj season to make a fortune at the cost of the pilgrims' suffering. This year flight shortage and other problems have already cast a shadow of uncertainty over the fate of nearly 4,000 non-ballottee pilgrims. There is apprehension around the Hajj camp that if Bangladesh Biman fails to operate additional flights for three more days, the number of stranded pilgrims may rise to 12, 000. According to reports, the civil aviation and tourism ministry had made attempts to get seven foreign airlines to carry the additional number of pilgrims, as Biman was not capable to carry all. On the other hand, Biman is still awaiting additional landing permission from the Jeddah Airport authorities for the period of December 23 to 25. It appears that the Hajj flight schedules have not been handled with efficiency by the Bangladesh Biman authorities from the very beginning, which is what gave rise to the crisis. There is a propensity to do things at the last moment when the patience of the pilgrims begins to run out. We hope the authorities concerned would live up to the occasion and get all logistics in place so that all the pilgrims can safely reach the holy land and perform Hajj without any further hassles.
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