Hajj pilgrimage of 500 uncertain in Sylhet

Talking to The Daily Star on Monday, Sylhet unit president of Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) Syed Shafiqul Haque said it took a longer time this year to obtain documents on renting houses in Mecca for the pilgrims by some of our agents.

Biman authorities are not issuing tickets for the 500 pilgrims on the plea of this problem. If tickets are not issued, it will be difficult to collect visas for them from the Saudi embassy in Dhaka within the specified time, he said.

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The embassy fixed January 14 as the last date for collecting visa, he said.

Same was the allegation of Alhaj Ataur Rahman, president of Sylhet unit of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB). He said Biman can easily manage additional flights for the pilgrims.

Some other travel agents also alleged that Biman authorities created the crisis in the name of ticket and seat shortage.

They also alleged that a similar situation was created last year also. Biman was later compelled to arrange additional flights following pressure from high-ups.

Intending pilgrim Faruque Ahmed said, "I along with many others deposited part payments to a travel agent weeks ago, but it could not make things ready yet, putting us in an uncertain situation. They are delaying in completing formalities. We do not know what will happen".

The whole problem centres procurement of documents on renting houses for pilgrims in Mecca. The Biman does not issue ticket without this document, and without ticket, the Saudi embassy does not issue visa.

When contacted, Biman's Sylhet District Manager Tajul Islam said that to avoid any unwanted situation, they had a meeting with travel agents in Sylhet weeks ago to ascertain the demand for tickets this year.

Accordingly, 2005 tickets were confirmed against a demand for 2000, which have already been given to travel agents.

But some of the agents failed to send their clients as per scheduled flights at the beginning, when seats remained vacant. This happened as they failed to bring the documents on renting houses in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, officials of HAAB and ATAB at a hurriedly called press conference at Sylhet Press Club on Monday demanded immediate arrangement for issuance of tickets for the 500 intending pilgrims.

They blamed Biman for not arranging the tickets.

In the written statement Alhaj Ataur Rahman said that some of the travel agents could not collect documents on renting houses due to some new formalities imposed by the Saudi government.

He claimed that travel agents at the meeting with Biman officials demand 3900 tickets for Sylhet region.

But, Biman issued only 2000 tickets, Rahman alleged.