ACC conducts fresh drive in city hajj agencies

Staff Correspondent: The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) conducted drive for the 5th time in Hajj agency offices at different places in the capital on Thursday.

A 9-member team led by deputy director Sheikh Fanafillah and assistant director Gulshan Anwar launched the drive in aiming to stop harassment, irregularities, fraud and human trafficking following a hotline (106) complaint.

ACC Public Relations Officer (PRO) Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya confirmed the news to risingbd.

He said, “A Hajj agency office, known as Kazi Air International at Kazi Tower at the city’s Nayapaltan area, has no documents in support of the actual number of Hajj pilgrims. This Hajj agency admitted sending only 75 Hajj pilgrims, though a registered Hajj agency is under the obligation to send at least 150 passengers to Hajj.”

Besides, it could not show house rent receipt, and other necessary receipts of Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, he added.

From Kazi Travels and Tours located at the same building, the ACC team found that this agency has evaded tax of Tk 4 lakh over last 4 years of audit.  The ACC team was surprised to see how this agency could get approval even after evading such a large sum of tax. The commission will take its measure after receiving final report.

Coordinator of enforcement drive and director general (administration) of ACC Mohammad Munir Chowdhury told the media that, “Our object is to break the Syndicate and raise awareness of corruption among Hajj pilgrims through continuous drives.”
 

risingbd/Dhaka/July 19, 2018/M A Rahman/A K Azad