Five hundred and thirty-eight Hajj pilgrims, whose journey had become uncertain because of a travel agency's fraudulent activities, finally left Dhaka for Saudi Arabia to perform the holy Hajj.
The Hajj Agencies Association Bangladesh (HAAB) facilitated this by stepping in promptly and effectively.
It was discovered that Mohammad Shah Alam, owner of SN Travels and Tours, had collected money for the Hajj journey from these pilgrims, of which around 75 had their visas processed and 90 had their tickets confirmed.
However, Mohammad Shah Alam suddenly disappeared.
Upon visiting Shah Alam's office in Jurain, Shyampur, the pilgrims found no trace of him. A subsequent visit to another office of Shah Alam in Mohammadpur also led to no resolution, inciting protests among the affected pilgrims.
Following these events, the issue came to the attention of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and other concerned bodies.
HAAB President Shahadat Hossain Taslim initiated efforts to ensure the departure of these stranded pilgrims.
“Our primary objective was to make sure no registered pilgrim was left out. We have gathered information about each pilgrim, such as who had their visas processed, air tickets booked, and accommodation arranged by SN Travels and Tours,” said Shahadat Hossain Taslim.
With assistance from banks, the air tickets for these pilgrims were confirmed, and visas were arranged for those who had not received them yet.
The HAAB president also said that punitive measures would be taken against this Hajj agency.
Religious Affairs Secretary Muhammad Abdul Hamid Zamaddar said: "We have tried our utmost to facilitate everyone's Hajj journey. We are working with the cooperation of all involved parties."
Regarding actions against Shah Alam, the owner of SN Travels and Tours, Muhammad Abdul Hamid Zamaddar, stated that no traces of him have been found thus far.
However, the Religious Affairs secretary reassured that law enforcement and intelligence agencies are actively searching for him.