The Ministry of Religious Affairs has fined 134 private hajj agencies Tk77 crore for their involvement in irregularities and mismanagement, including human trafficking and providing substandard services for last year’s hajj pilgrims.
The committee is said to have recommended cancellation of licences of eight agencies and suspension of 22 while clearing seven companies of the charges. The other agencies were fined different amounts, the highest being Tk1.82 crore and the lowest Tk75,000.
A three-member review committee, headed by Religious Affairs Secretary Chowdhury Md Babul Hasan, reviewed the allegations against the agencies and unanimously took the decision to fine those. The other two members of the committee are Md Shahiduzzaman, joint secretary (administration), and Md Abdus Sakur, joint secretary (planning) of the same ministry.
Of the agencies that were penalised, United International Travels was fined Tk1.48 crore, Cascades Travels and Tours Tk1.82 crore, Janus Travels and Tours Tk1.04 crore, and Munira Travels and Tours Tk80 lakh.
Agencies that have had their licences suspended are Bright Travels, Chittagong Royal Air Services, Chittagong Air International, Sincere Trade and Tourism, Air Connections Travel and Tours, Al Hazi Travels and Tours, Irana Air International, Fiza Air Travels and Tours, Ahsania Malaysia Hajj Mission, Shamima Travels, Kibla Travels Limited, Anjum Overseas, Nayem International Travels and Tours, Al Habib Hajj Group, Fahmid Travel and Tours, First One International, Imam Travels, MS Grand Sikder Air Travels, Mabruran Hajj Agency, Makka Babe Jannat Travels & Tours, S Ahmed Tours and Travels, and Ullash Tours and Travels.
Licences of United International Travels, Cascades Travels and Tours, Humayera Hajj Travels, Janus Travels and Tours, Jiarot E-Kaba Tours and Travels, Al Zia Travels, Salam Trading International, and Munira Travels and Tours were recommended to be cancelled.
Meanwhile, agencies that were relieved from the charges include Sadek Travels, Al-Qibla Hajj Tours and Travels, Good Way Aviation & Tourism, Mymensingh Travels Agency, Saad Uswah Travels and Tours, Sajid Hajj Travels and Tours, and South Asian Air Bangladesh.
The measures were taken following investigation into allegations of human trafficking in the name of hajj, violation of commitment to providing comfortable accommodation, inadequate transport arrangement, supply of substandard food, and inadequate arrangement of tour guides.
Jahangir Alam, deputy secretary (hajj), told the Dhaka Tribune a committee was supposed to be formed earlier to take punitive measures against 193 private hajj agencies but later on, the review committee was formed to hear from the accused hajj agencies.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs, in a circular on May 18, directed all agencies to deposit the fines in the government treasury through chalan (consignment receipt) code number (1-3501-0001-1901) and asked those to inform the ministry by submitting copies of the chalan.
If an agency fails to pay the fine by June 1, it will not be allowed to send pilgrims.
A total of 87,854 pilgrims performed hajj in October last year. Of them, 262 have not returned from Saudi Arabia.
Jahangir Alam said the punitive actions had been taken upon recommendations from both Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia officials.
The move will be a warning for other agencies so that they do not involve in any illegal practice, he added.