Uncertainty over around 550 pilgrims’ Hajj

Staff Reporter :
Owner of a Hajj agency, S.N. Travels and Tours (Hajj Licence No.-1136) of Shyampur’s Jurain in Dhaka has fled away after taking money from 550 intendingHajj pilgrims this year. Being cheated by agency owner Mohammad Shah Alam, thepilgrims on Wednesday blocked the road in front of the agency office at Mazar Sharif west gate in Jurain and demonstrated against the forgery.
The victims claimed that the owner of the agency fled away along with over Tk 32 crore received the from pilgrims.

They demanded immediate steps from the government and Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), so that they can travel to Saudi Arabia this year to perform Hajj.
Being informed, police from Shyampur Police Stations rushed to the spot and discussed with the protesters about their demands. Police tried to resolve the problem discussing with them.
Md. Shihab Uddin, inspector (investigation) of Shyampur Police Station, told this correspondent that they talked about the matter with the protesters. But, they haven’t yet received any official complaint. “We have heard that some

538 people were cheated by the Hajj agency. Despite taking money from the pilgrims, the agency owner Shah Alam failed to send them to Saudi Arabia. Now, he and his other support staffs fled away closing the office. The protesters are trying to communicate with the HAAB leaders. Police will extend all kinds of support to them so that they can perform the Hajj,” he added.

He also informed that despite taking money from more than 600 people, the agency could manage visa for a few of them. The rests remained deprived. “We are trying, so that they can travel Saudi for Hajj.”
Despite taking repeated attempts to communicate over phone, Shah Alam couldn’t be reached.

When contacted, Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) President Shahadat Hossain Taslim told this correspondent that they received the complaintfrom the deprived pilgrims.
“We, HAAB and Religious Affairs Ministry, are working to send them to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj this year. Visas for around hundred people have already been completed and rests will be completed soon. Hope, all of them will be able to perform Hajj this year,” he assured.