The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Hundreds of hajj pilgrims would not be able to perform hajj due to mismanagement of private hajj agencies, informed sources said.

Over 45,000 hajis from Bangladesh were supposed to perform hajj in Saudi Arabia this year. Of them about 75 per cent hajis were to perform hajj through private sector hajj agencies, who are members of the Hajj Association of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Biman, the national flag carrier,

reduced the airfare for hajjis from US 40 to 70 dollars per head, depending on flight schedules.

Biman started hajj flight from the second week of November. It was scheduled to carry hajjis by 85 flights.

But private hajj agencies could not provide adequate number of hajjis to board the planes, as those agencies did not complete residential arrangement in Mecca.

As a result, Biman started flying hajj flights keeping a number of seats vacant in each of the plane from the very beginning. In the second phase, the private hajj agencies reportedly falter in providing visas for the hajjis on time, forcing flights to fly without adequate number of hajjis regularly.

This problem forced Biman to cancel 12 scheduled flights.

So far, Biman has carried 19,099 hajis by its 46-haj flights and 10 regular flights, a Biman Bangladesh Airlines press release said yesterday.

Expressing deep concern over the lack of adequate haj passengers, Biman expressed the apprehension that there might be a 'capacity crisis' in carrying hajj pilgrims during the final phase if expected number of passengers were not available as per flight schedule.

In such a situation, many pilgrims would not be able to perform haj, an official said.