Pvt hajj agencies fail to rent houses for pilgrims in KSA

Bangladesh's hajj management is in a crisis with many private hajj agencies failing to rent houses in Saudi Arabia to accommodate pilgrims.

Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) and Religious Affairs Ministry are blaming each other for this mismanagement.

HAAB leaders said although hajj flights are scheduled to take off on May 9, many private agencies are yet to rent houses because the religious affairs ministry couldn't secure visas for agency representatives.

Meanwhile, a ministry official said Saudi authorities have stopped the special "monazzem" visa for hajj agencies from this year.

"Hajj agencies will have to go to KSA under business visas and we have informed HAAB about this decision," said Matiul Islam, additional secretary (hajj wing), of the religious affairs ministry.

HAAB leaders said despite their disapproval, the ministry has increased the quota of pilgrims for each agency. Now, it will be difficult to ensure desired services for all pilgrims, especially the elderly.

They said they could not rent houses for 28,000 pilgrims for the overnight stay in Mecca's Mujdalifa.

"There are only a few days left ... Many houses still haven't been rented for pilgrims ... Since agency representatives did not get a 'monazzem' visa, they were unable to go to Saudi Arabia," HAAB President M Shahadat Hossain Taslim told The Daily Star.

He also alleged that many hajj agencies didn't get Saudi Riyal transferred to their accounts on time by the ministry.

To this, the additional secretary said at least 27 hajj agencies failed to deposit enough money to the ministry.

HAAB said they also requested the ministry to keep the maximum number of hajj quotas to 300 per agency. However, the ministry increased the number to 500.

Meanwhile, Additional Secretary Matiul said the allegations raised by HAAB are not correct.

"Hajj agencies should have gone to Saudi Arabia a long time ago to rent houses. We have completed all work on our side so that agency representatives can go to KSA."

He alleged many agency representatives prefer going late to Saudi Arabia to find houses at cheaper rates.

A total of 85,107 Bangladeshi people are scheduled to perform hajj this year, of which, around 80,688 will perform hajj under private hajj management.