The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Ahsania-Malaysia Hajj Investment and Finance Company Limited (AM-HIFC) was formally inaugurated yesterday, offering 1 to 30 years long Hajj Saving Schemes.

The company offers 15 different policies of Hajj Saving Schemes with installments, starting from Tk14, 550 to Tk900 per month.

"The AM-HIFC offers saving schemes, payable in 16 to 30 easy and affordable installments. After the completion of due period, one would be able to perform Hajj with us," said Chairman AM-HIFC Rafique-ul-Haq at the inaugural ceremony at a local hotel.

Speaking on the occasion as chief guest, Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed said that the government wants to promote a new dimension of Islamic Shariah based banking in the country. Approval to AM-HIFC is one such step, he added.

He expected that the company would achieve its goal to assist Bangladeshi Muslims in affordable and hassle-free Hajj performance.

The central bank governor said the AM-HIFC is the only non-banking financial institution of its kind, which was given approval by the Bangladesh Bank. "The project was approved as the experiences and reputation of Dhaka Ahsania Mission and its Malaysian partner were high in this field," he said.

The company emerged as joint venture project, signed by the Dhaka Ahsania Mission and Malaysia Global Hajj and Umrah International Corporation. Objective of this company is to facilitate all interested Muslims in Bangladesh to perform hazard-free Hajj as well as to financially enable them through different Hajj Saving Schemes, the Chairman of AM-HIFC added.

"The AM-HIFC invites all Muslims to plan their Hajj journey with the support of our Hajj Saving Schemes, namely the Mudaraba and Al-Wadia Savings and enjoy hassle-free, affordable for all income levels and comfortable Hajj related services," the Chairman further said.

However, he also mentioned that the company is meant to be a spiritual service oriented organisation instead of a profit earning commercial organisation in the strict sense.

"After the quit opening of the AM-HIFC on July 2007, over 500 saving accounts have already been opened by depositors who intends to perform Hajj in future," Rafique-ul-Haq added.

Elaborating the AM-HIFC Hajj Saving Schemes, President of Dhaka Ahsania Mission Kazi Rafiqul Alam said, "The existence of AM-HIFC will only be justified, if we gradually increase the number of pilgrims every year with the ultimate aim to reach the Bangladesh Hajj quota of 140,000 fixed by the Saudi Arabian Government."

He also informed that at present only 43,000 to 55,000 Bangladeshi pilgrims perform Hajj every year.