HAAB biennial poll: Candidates busy wooing voters

Staff Reporter :
The biennial election of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), an apex body of the Hajj agencies of the country, will be held on March 2.

According to the HAAB election commission, the votes of the elections will be taken on the day at three centers of Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet from 9am to 5pm. The votes of central and Dhaka zonal committee will be taken at Ananda Community Center in Naya Paltan area of Dhaka.

The aspiring candidates contesting the polls have been passing restless time ahead of the election. Most of them are trying to contact with the voters, especially to those who are like-minded to them.

Two separate panels – led by outgoing HAAB President M. Shahadat Hossain Taslim and Secretary General Faruk Ahmed Sarder and former President Jamal Uddin Ahmed and Md. Tajul Islam – contesting the polls for its 27 posts of central committee and 27 more posts of Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet zonal committees.

Of the panels, HAAB President M. Shahadat Hossain Taslim and Secretary General Faruk Ahmed Sarder are contesting the polls under HAAB Sammilito Fourm while former President Jamal Uddin Ahmed and Md. Tajul Islam contesting under HAAB Ganatantrik Oikya Parishad. Among the three zonal committees, 13 posts for Dhaka regional committee, seven each for Chattogram and Sylhet zonal committees. Of them, all seven regional council leaders were elected uncontested, but the leaders of central council from the region will be elected with the direct votes of the voters.

The candidates of the panels are now busy in restless campaigning to gain the support of its 930 voters out of more than 1,500 members of HAAB. The candidates are trying to reach to its all voters and communicate with them by phone. As a result, the election has got a festive mode.

According to Hajj agents, leaders HAAB Sammilito Forum are trying to get the support of the voters explaining their achievements in last six years including prevention of irregularities in trolley bag procurement during the Hajj period.

“We want further supports to continue the process and reducing the plane fare of the Hajj pilgrims, so that people can travel the Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage during Hajj season. Same time, we will also try to prevent misuse of HAAB funds in future like now,” M. Shahadat Hossain Taslim, panel chief of the Sammilito Parishad said while talking to this correspondent.

He also expressed hope that the HAAB members will consider them as best choice like to previous years due to their positive performance.
However leaders of HAAB Ganatantrik Oikya Parishad are trying to motivate the voters citing allegations of corruption and misuse of HAAB funds by the existing committee leading the organisation for last three consecutive tenures.

They are also giving commitments to prevent the corruption and building a corruption-free and pro-member HAAB in future and reopen the third carrier to reduce the plane fare of the pilgrims.

While talking to this correspondent, Panel leader of HAAB Ganatantrik Oikya Parishad Jamal Uddin Ahmed said that during his tenure, Bangladesh had become first in Hajj management for three consecutive years and the pilgrims travelled with reasonable plane fares.

“But, the present leaders of HAAB are now busy in making money and doing their business.

Using the portfolio of the HAAB, its president has already involved with a manpower syndicate in Malaysia and tried to make another Hajj syndicate of 56 Hajj agents this year.

But, the initiative went in vain,” he said, adding, “If we can win the polls, the Hajj business will remain open for all valid agencies. The minimum pilgrim quota will be fixed at 100, so that all agencies can survive in future.”

Elaborating the allegations, Dr. Abdullah Al Naser, a panel member of HAAB Ganatantrik Oikya Parishad, told this correspondent the voters will oust the incumbent HAAB leaders in the upcoming polls as they had done nothing for the betterment of the members. Rather, the voters are annoyed on them due to the previous activities.”