-By Raquib Siddiqi
Captive in the hands of vested interests of certain quarters, Bangladesh has so far failed to evolve a smooth and efficient functioning of Annual Hajj Operations.
The vested quarters are so powerful that they have successfully foiled numerous efforts to modify the system to serve the greater interest of hajj pilgrims better. Limiting hajj operation to only two airlines, fixing air fare for hajj at higher level and engagement in hajj operation are all designed to serve the interest of vested quarters.By restricting the number of airlines to only two, the government is denying pilgrims from Bangladesh the choice of their own airlines. In addition, by fixing hajj fare at higher level, the government is imposing higher fare on the pilgrims by denying the benefit of market competition. Moreover, due to inefficient monitoring by the respective officials concerned, most often than not pilgrims are to undergo sufferings–both mental and physical due to associated uncertainty as well as financial due to greed of some people.
Open to all airlines. Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) is always demanding the opening up of hajj operations of the country for all the operating airlines. Last year, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism decided that only Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Saudi Airlines would carry the entire hajj pilgrims. HAAB went to High Court against this decision and The High Court declared the government decision illegal. It also passed an ad-interim order that the pilgrims can choose any airlines of their own choice in order to perform hajj in Saudi Arabia.
But on March 12 it was announced that only Biman and Saudia would transport hajj pilgrims from Bangladesh. When contacted, Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Rashed Khan Menon confirmed to me the announcement in this regard. He disclosed that the HC order has been stayed.
Of the two airlines designated by the government, national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines is suffering from shortage of capacity for many years. So, the airline totally depends on lease aircraft for hajj operation.
Leasing of aircraft for hajj has become an annual activity. There are many people found to be interested in aircraft leasing. These people are against opening hajj traffic to other airlines.
Compared to very recent years, this year Biman is in a much better position capacity wise. Two purchased brand new B777-300ERs and two leased B777-200ERs have joined the fleet in recent months, Despite that Biman has decided to take lease of one B747 for hajj operations.
Higher air fare. There is no doubt that more airlines involve in hajj operation means more capacity and surely better for the efficient and smooth functioning of the hajj operations. Moreover, competition among the airlines is bound to affect the market fare and pilgrims are likely to get cheaper hajj fare, if government stops fixing the fare and leave it to market.
Last year, the government fixed US dollar 1475 as the hajj fare. This is much higher than hajj fare from neighbouring India and Nepal. In India air fare for hajj is subsidised by the government. In 2013 hajj pilgrims who went through Hajj Committee paid only Rupees 28,000 or abour US dollar 460 as air fare. Qatar Airways transported hajj pilgrims from Nepal at a fare of US dollar 921 only in 2013. This year, it is learnt, government has fixed US dollar 1500 air fare for hajj.
According to Mohammad Ibrahim Bahar, President of HAAB, in addition to higher fare and trouble in getting seat due to restricting hajj operation to only two airlines, pilgrims are forced to stay much longer in Saudi Arabia. Instead of normal about 22 days, a large number of pilgrims are forced to stay for about 50 to 60 days. This unnecessary longer stay is costing pilgrims more on more than one count.
Mr. Bahar also demanded fixing of commission for hajj services of HAAB members on gross amount, instead of present system of net amount. He said for the members of HAAB, hajj operation is an important commercial event. All want make a profit. So, if commission is allowed on gross, the tendency to exploit pilgrims will diminish.
Bahar also complained that there is a tremendous shortage of skilled and experiences persons in MORA and Hajj mission.
Why ballotee pilgrims? Though the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA) and Bangladesh Hajj Office in Saudi Arabia should be responsible for operation of hajj of entire Bangladesh pilgrims, it seems that entire government efforts are directed to organising pilgrims for only ballotees—a very small number of the total—never more than 2,000 in past five years. Arrangements of pilgrim for the majority—more than 90,000 are left with private hajj agencies.
As in the past, this year also all pilgrims are organised in two categories—Ballotee and Non-Ballotee. The Government makes all arrangements for ballotee pilgrims and approved private hajj agencies organise pilgrimage of all non-ballottee ones.
It is impossible to understand why there should be two categories. Like this year in 2013 the number of ballottee pilgrims was fixed at 10, 000, but, actual number of pilgrims who performed hajj as ballotee ones was about 1,600 only.
MORA seems to be wasting time, money and energy by handling fewer and fewer ballotee pilgrims. But why? The answer is simple. In the name of handling ballotee pilgrims, a large number of government officials are enjoying special benefits annually during hajj season.
Responsibility of MORA: MORA is responsible for management of Hajj of all Bangladeshi pilgrims. The Hajj offices at Dhaka, Makkah, Medina, and Jeddah organise Hajj under control and supervision of MORA.
Hajj management includes selection and registration of Hajjes, hiring of accommodation in Makkah and Medina, arrangement of air tickets, issuance of pilgrim pass and visa, immigration, medical checkup, security clearance, pre-departure accommodation of pilgrims and grievance resolution etc. The Hajj office does all these works with the help of different Govt. agencies at their permanent Hajj Camp at Uttara, Dhaka.
The Annual Hajj Policy covers plans, cost, and procedures for performance of hajj by Bangladeshi pilgrims.
Hajj policy 2014: Some 1,01,758 Bangladeshis will perform Hajj this year according to approved National Hajj and Umrah Policy, 1435 Hijri (2014 AD) and The Hajj Package, 2014. Of the total 1, 01,758 hajj pilgrims this year, some 10,000 pilgrims will perform Hajj under government arrangements, and 91,758 under private arrangements.
Under government managements, there will be two packages. In package one, the total costs will be at about Tk 3, 54,316, and Tk 2, 95,776 for package two. The total costs may vary due to fluctuation in exchange rates of the US dollar and Saudi Riyal.
For both the packages, the costs of qurbani (sacrifice of animal) of around Tk 10,500 will be added to the total costs.
In case of private management, the minimum costs should not be less than TK 2, 95,776 so that minimum facilities could be ensured for the pilgrims.
The number of hajj pilgrims in the current year is less than the previous year, because the Saudi government has reduced the quota for hajj pilgrims by 20 percent due to massive renovation works at the Haram Sharif.
Lapse of MORA: There is hardly any doubt that the MORA has totally failed to monitor the activities of the private hajj agencies, responsible for arranging hajj pilgrims for most of the people. According to government statistics, this year the number of ballotee pilgrims is only 10,000 (as in other years, likely to be reduced significantly on final count) and non-ballotee 91,758.
The Hajj– the Pilgrimage to Makkah is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be performed by all Muslims, if physically and mentally fit and financially able to afford the journey. That means Hijj is not obligatory on every Muslim. But in our country, a large number of people who are not sound financially and physically not able to withstand the hardship, ignores all odds to make the pilgrims. Because, the hajis, are honoured in communities, it is an incentive to perform the Hajj for some.
A large number of simple-thinking people of Bangladesh aspires to perform hajj—a journey of their life time. In fulfilling their life-long ambition, these easy going people are being subjected to exploitation. In recent years with the introduction of package system a new breed of middlemen in are exploiting innocent pilgrims.
Exploitation: In the annual hajj operation scene ‘Khafelas’ and ‘Imams’ have become a strong go between the pilgrims and private hajj agencies. In fact, hajj agencies have become fully dependent on the so-called Khalefa leaders and Imams of various local mosques of the country for business—the pilgrim traffic.
These middlemen have become so dominant that they dictate price of the hajj package and secure additional benefits for themselves. Presence of an unusually large number of private hajj agencies in the market, make the job of bargaining by Khafela leaders and Imams easy.
For 2014, although the government has fixed minimum of Taka TK 2, 95,776 as the lowest package price for non-ballottee pilgrims, a large number of private hajj agencies is likely to be forced by the Khafela leaders to lower their package price to get the business.
These private hajj agencies are not doing the job as public service. It is a business and they are in the market to earn profit. Now, how they are going to make money after selling the package at a price much lower than the fixed price?
Exploitation of the pilgrims is the answer. A large number of non-ballotee pilgrims do not get what they are paying for. Inspired by Khafela leaders and Imams, private hajj agencies are providing inferior accommodation and other facilities including food. The accommodation units are also located far from two holy mosques as these are cheaper. Pilgrims are also packed in rooms more than their permissible capacities.
It is really sad to know the Khafela leaders and Imams brain wash the pilgrims in such a way that they make no complaint and accept the sufferings quietly. They are told that during hajj if they show any nature of dissatisfaction about food, accommodation and other kind of creature comfort, their hajj will be invalid.
A time has come to end this exploitation and MORA can do it by implementing the hajj policy for the benefit of all the pilgrims, not just small portion of ballotee ones.
MORA should be well equipped with both facility and skilled manpower to handle the entire pilgrims and as such must actively oversee the entire hajj operation and save the pilgrims from unnecessary tension and exploitation.
MORA may seriously consider abandoning hajj operation and fully focus on supervising and monitoring annual hajj operations, to ensure better services from the beginning to the end.
(Former Acting Editor of now-defunct The Bangladesh Times, Raquib Siddiqui is a veteran journalist with specialisation in aviation and tourism)
