Biman, HAAB at loggerheads on flight schedules for Hajj pilgrims

FE Team | Published: October 02, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Naim-Ul-Karim
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd and Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) are at loggerheads on flight schedules for hajj pilgrims, sources said.
They said the national flag carrier is yet to inform the HAAB the exact hajj flight schedules, which is required to know at the earliest to book accommodations for pilgrims in Makkah and Madina.
Maulanan Eyakub Sharafati, secretary general of HAAB, said: "It is not being possible for us to book residential accommodations for pilgrims due to non-availability of exact flight schedules."
"We have tried several times to know flight schedules from the authorities concerned in Biman," he said, adding as per the National Hajj Policy the Biman was expected to provide flight schedules at least six months before the hajj pilgrimage.
When asked, an official of the Biman said allocation of exact hajj flight schedule has not been possible as the HAAB is yet to provide the particulars of pilgrims.
"We cannot provide them exact flight schedule until they give us the particulars of pilgrims," he said.
He said Biman incurred loss about Tk 390 million last year for operating hajj flights because of a section of hajj agencies' negligence in providing the number of pilgrims to be transported as per the given flight schedule.
Another reason of discord between the Biman and the HAAB is fixation of discriminatory plane fair.
"It is unfair that the pilgrims of Sylhet and Chittagong region will pay $100 more than those of Dhaka," Maulanan Eyakub Sharafati, secretary general of HAAB, said.
When asked, Biman officials said there is a difference in plane fare because of the distance of flight.
Under such circumstances, sources said, the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) has convened a meeting today (Tuesday) to discuss the hajj preparation and resolve the problems in this connection.
They said the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Biman and the HAAB will attend the meeting.
"We will not leave any issue unresolved at the meeting," M Ataur Rahman, secretary of MoRA, told the FE Monday.
A MoRA source said some 46,847 pilgrims, including 5,484 ballottee and 41363 non-ballottee, are expected to perform hajj from Bangladesh this year.