Call to take action against air ticket syndicate

The Bangladesh Pilgrims and Hajji Welfare Council on Saturday said some errant agencies have been charging extra on Middle East- bound air ticket in collusion with Biman Sales Office at Motijheel.

The leader of the council demanded an immediate arrest of the ticket syndicates and firing of the Biman sales executives involved in the malpractice.

The real fare of Biman ticket is Tk 67,000 but the syndicates charge Tk 78,000 to Tk 80,000 for Dhaka-Jeddah route. So, every Omrah-bound passenger is forced to pay over Tk 11,000 per ticket.

Speaking at a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters Unity, the council president Abdullah Al Naser claimed that more than 60 to 100 seats of Biman remain empty in every trip due to the syndication. As a result, the government loses a huge amount of revenue from the sector.

Naser sought intervention of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, State Minister for Civil Aviation Mahbub Ali and State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haque Khan to reduce the airfare for the routes considering the interest of the pilgrims and Bangladeshi migrants, said a press release issued yesterday.

Members of the syndicate have been earning a lot of money through this illegitimate ways and laundering a huge sum, he argued.

In his address, the council adviser Abdus Sobhan Bhuiyan Hassan, also panel chief of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh, said as Saudi Arabia began receiving the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage requests after two years of Covid-19 shutdown, a large number of passengers have been waiting to perform Hajj and Umrah this year.

“But most pilgrims are affected with the airfare hike. The government should take necessary steps against the syndicate to facilitate the religious journey,” added Sobhan.

Among others, Pilgrims and Hajji Welfare Council vice-president Md Tajul Islam, leaders Abu Daud Faisal and Md Manik were present at the press conference.