Pilgrims stage demo at hajj camp

Staff Correspondent: A group of hajj pilgrims staged demonstrations in front of the Ashkona hajj camp in the capital on Saturday noon as an uncertainty has been raised about whether they will be able to fly for Makkah or not.

The aspirant hajj pilgrims, who could not yet fly for Makkah apparently either mismanagement or fraudulence of hajj agencies, brought out a procession carrying a banner, demanding punishment of the hajj agencies.

Around 3,000 aspirant hajj pilgrims are in uncertainty whether they will be able to fly for Makkah or not.

While staging the demonstration, the aspirant pilgrims accused several hajj agencies including Madina Air International Aviation, Al Balak, Sanjid Travel, and Eco Travel of fraudulence.

These agencies took money from them but were yet to issue them the air tickets, they alleged.

They also staged demonstrations earlier on Friday in front of the Ashkona hajj camp following the issue.

Talking to reporters at Hajj Director’s office, parliamentary standing committee on religious affairs ministry chairman Bazlul Haque Harun on Saturday morning said general diaries have been filed against the hajj agencies accused of fraudulence.

“The general diaries will be turned into cases if they don’t send the pilgrims in a day or two,” he said.

Of 127,198 scheduled aspirant pilgrims, 951 could not submit their passport for visa even by the last date, although the Saudi authorities extended the timeline for two days, and thus lost all the chances to get the visa this time.

As of Friday, a total of 109,096 pilgrims have reached Saudi Arabia. The national flagship carrier, Bangladesh Biman Airlines, will operate its last flight today, Saturday, and Saudi Airlines will carry pilgrims until next Monday.

And by this time, some 17,151 pilgrims will have to be carried to the holy city of Makkah.

risingbd/Dhaka/Aug 26, 2017/Hasan/Amirul