The government has taken punitive actions against 208 hajj agencies, out of 628, who sent the pilgrims to Saudi Arabia last year, for deceiving hajj pilgrims through different irregularities. The actions were taken following decision of a committee led by a former secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs after receiving allegations against the agencies, said Chowdhury M Babul Hasan, secretary of the ministry at a press briefing. Of the 208 agencies, eight were punished through cancellation of their licenses and confiscation of their deposits. Of the eight, three agencies– Casced Travel and Tours, Janus Travel and Tours and United Travels, along with their licenses cancelled– were fined Tk 1.82 crore, Tk 1.04 core and 1.48 crore respectively for not returning 262 hajj pilgrims home from Saudi Arabia. The licenses of43 agencies were stayed temporarily for deceiving hajj pilgrims and irregularities. Of the rest agencies, the ministry fined five Tk five lakh each, another five Tk four lakh each, 17 Tk three lakh each, nine Tk 2.50 lakh each while 121 agencies were fined Tk 1.50 lakh on various charges. The charges include failure to keep their commitments about accommodating the pilgrims, provide adequate transport, sufficient housing and quality foods in Saudi. The hajj agencies, which were only fined, will send pilgrims to perform hajj this year by repaying their finds, the ministry sources said. A total of 87,854 pilgrims went to Saudi Arabia for performing hajj last year. — UNB, Dhaka.
