Hajj agencies guilty of trafficking will not get chance next year

Hajj agencies found guilty of trafficking Bangladeshis in the name of Umrah will not be allowed to send pilgrims to Saudi Arabia next year, said Religious Affairs Minister Motior Rahaman yesterday.

He made the remark at a press briefing held at the secretariat in the capital after the Saudi government's announcement on Sunday to resume issuing Umrah visas for Bangladeshis ending a nine-month suspension on allegation of human trafficking.

Meanwhile, the ministry published in its website yesterday a list of 70 approved agencies for conducting Umrah in 2016.

Saudi Arabia stopped issuing Umrah visas for Bangladeshis on March 22 on charge human trafficking in the name of performing the holy ritual.

Later, the religious affairs ministry brought charges against 104 agencies and imposed different types of punishment, including cancelling licenses for trafficking 11,485 people.