Uncertainty still looms over hassles-free Hajj
Friday, 19 October 2007
Like yesteryear, uncertainty still looms over hassles-free hajj performing by Bangladeshi pilgrims as the private hajj-facilitating agencies could not rent dormitories for them in Makkah and Medina of Saudi Arabia, reports UNB.
A review meeting on this year's Hajj management, convened by the Religious Affairs Ministry Thursday, was apprised of this situation. Officials from different ministries and government departments attended the meeting.
Both the Religious Affairs officials and the representatives of private Hajj agencies blamed each other for the problem and also cited the countrywide floods as an excuse for the delay in renting the requisite pilgrim dorms.
Under the circumstances, sources concerned aired doubt as to whether the Bangladeshi Hajj agencies could get good and nearest houses for the devotees as the other countries have completed the house-renting procedures much before.
Religious Affairs Secretary Ataur Rahman, who presided over the meeting, however, said he is hopeful of completing the house-renting work soon.
He said dormitories were rented in Makkah for only those devotees who would go to Hajj under government management, and their number is 5,583.
But, houses were rented neither in Makkah nor in Medina for as many as 41,363 devotees who will go to Hajj under the management of private hajj agencies, he added.
This year, a total of 47,946 people will go to perform Hajj, about 2,000 less than last year's figure.
The Religious Affairs Secretary said, "As per National Hajj Policy adopted this year, the house-renting procedures were mandatory to be completed within the month of Ramadan."
President of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) Mohammad Faruque, who was present at the meeting, admitted the matter of non-renting the dormitories.
He said private Hajj agencies failed to rent the houses due to the delay in government visa-related procedures and also for the countrywide floods.
"We could not be sure how many people will go to perform Hajj; that's why the government extended the deadline for house renting," he claimed. "But now we are hopeful-things will be done very soon."
A review meeting on this year's Hajj management, convened by the Religious Affairs Ministry Thursday, was apprised of this situation. Officials from different ministries and government departments attended the meeting.
Both the Religious Affairs officials and the representatives of private Hajj agencies blamed each other for the problem and also cited the countrywide floods as an excuse for the delay in renting the requisite pilgrim dorms.
Under the circumstances, sources concerned aired doubt as to whether the Bangladeshi Hajj agencies could get good and nearest houses for the devotees as the other countries have completed the house-renting procedures much before.
Religious Affairs Secretary Ataur Rahman, who presided over the meeting, however, said he is hopeful of completing the house-renting work soon.
He said dormitories were rented in Makkah for only those devotees who would go to Hajj under government management, and their number is 5,583.
But, houses were rented neither in Makkah nor in Medina for as many as 41,363 devotees who will go to Hajj under the management of private hajj agencies, he added.
This year, a total of 47,946 people will go to perform Hajj, about 2,000 less than last year's figure.
The Religious Affairs Secretary said, "As per National Hajj Policy adopted this year, the house-renting procedures were mandatory to be completed within the month of Ramadan."
President of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) Mohammad Faruque, who was present at the meeting, admitted the matter of non-renting the dormitories.
He said private Hajj agencies failed to rent the houses due to the delay in government visa-related procedures and also for the countrywide floods.
"We could not be sure how many people will go to perform Hajj; that's why the government extended the deadline for house renting," he claimed. "But now we are hopeful-things will be done very soon."