Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) has mediated a solution to send 823 pilgrims to Hajj, removing the uncertainty created after the arrest of two hajj agency owners in Saudi Arabia.
“Initially we have decided to send 272 pilgrims to Hajj on three flights. In the meantime, if the owners are released, the rest will go to Hajj under their supervision. If they are not released, the pilgrims will be sent to Hajj in phases,” HAAB President M Shahadat Hossain Taslim told the Daily Sun on Sunday.
He also said that the pilgrims are not responsible for the arrest of the Hajj agency owners. The HAAB has taken responsibility for sending them to Hajj. The flight dates for sending a total of 272 pilgrims to Hajj have been fixed for June 2, 4 and 15.
“We were assured of delaying the flight date by 10 days along with necessary assistance in procuring their plane tickets,” Taslim said, adding that they decided to send pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in phases immediately so that no panic is created among other pilgrims.
It is mentionable that Mahmudur Rahman, owner of Koba Air International, and his son Saad bin Mahmud, owner of Euro and Ahsania Hajj Missions, were arrested with nine lakh riyals by the Saudi police on May 26.
Together their three Hajj agencies were supposed to send 823 pilgrims to Hajj in Saudi Arabia on June 1. But due to their arrest, an uncertainty was created regarding the pilgrimage of 823 people who registered under these three Hajj agencies.