The Ministry of Religious Affairs oversees the proper management of the Hajj for Bangladeshi pilgrims. Every year, it forms several teams to ensure a safe Hajj journey. These teams stay in Saudi Arabia during the Hajj season to serve the pilgrims. This year, as in previous years, 293 individuals under five teams from the ministry are stationed in Saudi Arabia for this purpose.
The current Hajj team includes gardeners, drivers, gunmen, office assistants or peons, personal officers to secretaries, computer operators, stenographers, and data entry operators. The ministry claims that these employees have been selected as team members according to existing policy to serve the pilgrims.
Meanwhile, the wife and two sisters of the Adviser to the Ministry of Religious Affairs have joined him on his Hajj trip, violating travel guidelines issued by the Chief Adviser’s Office (CAO). The wife of an additional secretary has also accompanied him.
According to officials involved in the Hajj process, the Saudi government already provides the services for which Bangladeshi ministry officials are sent each year. These services come with separate charges. In this context, they say adding unnecessary individuals to the Hajj team are a misuse of public resources. In their view, such teams only increase financial burdens without improving service quality or the performance of the ministry. Hajj operations still largely depend on private management. They also noted that lobbying from employees at all levels to be included in the Hajj team has been a long-standing issue.
This year, a total of 87,100 Bangladeshis have traveled for Hajj, including 5,200 under the government quota. However, the service quality for pilgrims who went under government arrangement has consistently been unsatisfactory. For those going under private arrangements, services are managed by the respective agencies. In this regard, two former senior leaders of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), speaking anonymously, said, “We expected some positive change from the new Religious Affairs Adviser. But he’s continuing the same old practices of irregularities and mismanagement.” They added, “Pilgrims traveling under the government arrangement face various forms of harassment. The care given by private agencies is far better than what the ministry offers. Those included in the ministry’s Hajj team are either senior officials or clerks. They have no experience or real commitment to serving the pilgrims. They treat the trip to Saudi Arabia as just another office routine.”
The two leaders from HAAB said that for government-managed Hajj pilgrims, the assigned guide is only seen after boarding the plane. Sometimes the guide is someone going for Hajj for the first time. Moreover, those who go under government management face serious difficulties with food. In contrast, pilgrims traveling through private agencies have all their meals and care arranged by the agencies.
The HAAB leaders and several Hajj agency owners stated that including unnecessary individuals in various Hajj committees by the Ministry of Religious Affairs is a complete waste of public funds. They believe the practice of using Hajj committees as an excuse for ministry staff to enjoy official travel should be stopped. When agency owners raise these issues, ministry officials threaten to take action against their agencies.
According to sources at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, a total of 293 officials, staff members, and doctors have traveled to Saudi Arabia this year as part of different Hajj teams based on ministry recommendations. Among them, 6 are in the Hajj Representative and Monitoring Team, 58 in the Administrative Team, 165 in the Integrated Medical Team, 20 in the Technical Team, and 44 in the Hajj Support Team.
Currently in Saudi Arabia as members of the Hajj Representative and Monitoring Team are: Religious Affairs Adviser Dr. A F M Khalid Hossain, Religious Affairs Secretary AKM Aftab Hossain Pramanik, Additional Secretaries Md Matiul Islam, Tofazzel Hossain, Md Fazlur Rahman, and Islamic Foundation Director General A Salam Khan. Along with these six officials, four others have traveled to perform Hajj. They include the Religious Affairs Adviser’s wife Kamrunnnesa Hasina and his two sisters, Khandaker Umme Salma and Arifa Mahbuba. In addition, Additional Secretary Fazlur Rahman’s wife Morsheda Parvin has also joined the trip as a companion to the Hajj monitoring team.
Although the ministry claims the companions are performing Hajj at their own expense, a circular issued by the Chief Adviser’s Office on March 23 clearly states that during official foreign trips, officers are not permitted to take their spouse, children, or other relatives as companions. Including the Adviser’s wife and two sisters, and the Additional Secretary’s wife, in the Hajj monitoring team, goes against this directive.
This year, the Ministry of Religious Affairs sent 20 people in the technical team and 44 in the Hajj support team to Saudi Arabia—most of whom are third- and fourth-class employees. According to ministry sources, the team includes drivers Akhtaruzzaman Sarkar, Titu Mia Bepari, Md Bakiul Alam, Nur Mohammad, Md Jahangir Alam, Abdur Rahim, Md Alamgir Hossain, Shamim Hossen, and Md Salahuddin; office assistants Monirul Islam, Md Ashraful Islam, Md Arman, Tania Akter, Anwar Hossain, Md Shohag, Imon Mia, and Sarwar Mahmud; computer operator Shahadat Hossain; assistant Suraiya Khatun; shorthand typists Madhumala, Aminul Islam, Farzana Sultana, and Mominul Islam; gunmen Saiful Haque and Shah Alam; gardener of the Hajj Office Begum Suma Akter; and mosque attendant from Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Md Abdul Mannan.
Despite existing directives that prohibit the inclusion of personal staff as official travel companions, several such individuals have been added to the Hajj teams. These include Mazharul Islam, Zafar Iqbal, Reksona Akter, Iqbal Hossain, Shariful Islam, Ikramul Haque, and Md Abdul Jabbar.
According to officials, lobbying and influence to be included in the Hajj teams have long been a common practice. Unethical advantages and abuse of power are also not uncommon. Even so, the inclusion of individuals in these teams should be done transparently, said Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). He told Bonik Barta, “The Saudi government’s Hajj package already includes all services for pilgrims—medical care, locating missing individuals, and other necessities. Bangladesh has never utilized this option. Instead, a large contingent is sent from here. These practices, influenced by favoritism and political consideration, have been going on for years. We expected the interim government to end this, but clearly, things remain unchanged.”
He added, “If a ministry official truly needs to include their personal aide, driver, or gardener in the Hajj team, the ministry must justify it with transparency. They could even bring in personnel from other ministries if necessary. But if services are available through the Saudi Hajj package, this shouldn’t be required. Unfortunately, this reflects a continuation of previous malpractice, which is why we’re seeing such a large official entourage again this year—funded by public money.”
When asked about the matter, Religious Affairs Adviser Dr. A F M Khalid Hossain told Bonik Barta, “Staff of this level are included in the technical and administrative support teams. Those with computer skills, such as computer operators or shorthand typists, are placed in the IT team, while the rest are added to the administrative support team. During Hajj, we need to operate three offices in Makkah, Madinah, and Jeddah. These offices require computer operators, office assistants, and support staff. In the hotels where government pilgrims stay, two shifts—running from 7 am to midnight—are assigned with three to four personnel made up of officials and staff. These employees handle tasks like solving room issues, escorting pilgrims to medical centers, locating missing pilgrims, or assisting sick pilgrims in performing Hajj.”
The Religious Affairs Adviser further said, “If any pilgrim’s luggage is lost, our teams locate and deliver it to their hotel. If someone falls ill, they’re taken to the medical center. If they get lost, we help them return to their hotel. If someone passes away, we oversee their burial and related matters. We also monitor accommodation and other issues for pilgrims of private agencies. If any pilgrim makes a complaint, it is investigated. The administrative and support teams also manage scheduling, such as when a pilgrim will go to Mina, Arafat, or Muzdalifah, when they will visit Madinah, and when they will return home. These teams are essential for ensuring an orderly and smooth Hajj operation. Last year, the total number of team members across various groups was 366. This year, it has been reduced to 293.”