Hajj-Umrah fair starts on Thursday, discounts will be available only if you book a package, there is no scope for thirty syndicates in Hajj management: HAAB

The three-day national-level Hajj and Umrah fair is starting next Thursday. The fair will continue at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Agargaon in the capital until August 1, a press release said.

Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) Secretary General Farid Ahmed Majumder gave this information at a press conference at a hotel in Nayapaltan in the capital on Tuesday (July 28).

HAAB President Syed Golam Sarwar, Vice President Nur Mohammad, Joint Secretary General Zafar Uddin, Finance Secretary Abdul Hamid, Mufti Zahid Alam, Kausar Ahmed, Shahin Alam, Ansari, A NH Khadem Dulal were present at the time.

HAAB Secretary General said that Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain (Kaikobad) will inaugurate the fair as the chief guest.  Besides, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam and State Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, senior officials of the Saudi Embassy will be present at the inauguration ceremony. Farid Ahmed Majumder said that the agencies approved for Hajj activities will set up stalls at the fair. Through this fair, you will get the opportunity to book or sign a contract with the agency of your choice to go directly to Hajj without the influence of middlemen by checking and reviewing the package prices of various Hajj agencies and the benefits mentioned in the packages. The Secretary General said that there will be an opportunity for these three days to book Hajj, you will get a discount. I request those who are willing to perform Hajj and Umrah to come to the fair and take this opportunity. In response to a question, HAAB Secretary General Farid Ahmed Majumder said that the friends of the fallen Shvairachar Hasina have looted crores of taka of air fares of Hajj pilgrims.  At their behest, some Hajj agency owners are spreading confusion among Hajj agencies by calling for a discussion meeting tonight by creating a fake issue of thirty syndicates in Hajj management. HAAB Secretary General Farid Ahmed Majumdar also mentioned that there is no scope for any syndicate in Hajj management.

HAAB Secretary General said, Bangladesh has achieved the top position among South Asian countries in Hajj management in 2026. We are determined to continue this trend. Highlighting the purpose of the fair, he said, most of our country’s brothers and sisters who want to go for Hajj live in the villages of the country. The purpose of organizing this fair is to reduce the distance between various Hajj agencies and those who want to go for Hajj and build bridges between them.  Through this, religious people are saved from the clutches of a class of Hajj pilgrims, group leaders, fraudsters and middlemen, and pilgrims are protected from unfortunate incidents such as harassment, fraud and embezzlement.

He also said that the biggest challenge to the smooth management of Hajj at present is that various unlicensed individuals and organizations and various celebrities or prominent people of the society are using their personal images to collect Hajj pilgrims immorally by placing attractive advertisements on Facebook and other social media. At different times, these pilgrims are being cheated to a large extent.

A warning advertisement has been issued by the Ministry of Religion on this issue. The HAAB Secretary General said, “We request brothers and sisters who want to go for Hajj and Umrah to verify the ownership of their licenses and enter into contracts to perform Hajj and Umrah. We request that the money be deposited directly into the agency’s bank account.”

Farid Ahmed Majumder said, the Saudi government has announced the roadmap and guidelines for Hajj 2027. Many new steps have been taken, including mandatory catering service and withdrawal of category D, in the new rules, which, if implemented, will make it difficult and very difficult for Bangladeshi pilgrims to perform Hajj comfortably. We have spoken to the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Bangladesh on the matter and request you to take immediate action.