The government has taken step to monitor the Hajj and Umrah activities directly to deal with irregularities and mismanagement in the sector.
As part of the move, the government is moving forward to frame a legal structure. The bill in this regard ‘The Hajj and Umrah Management Bill, 2021’ was placed in the Parliament on Sunday.
State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan placed the bill, which was sent to the respective parliamentary standing committee for further scrutiny. The committee was asked to submit its report within 40 days.
Earlier, the Cabinet approved the draft of the bill on December 28 last. An official of the religious affairs ministry said that they are moving forward for a law in a bid to bring more discipline in the Hajj and Umrah management. It was seen that when the government makes a move against any Hajj agency for irregularities, it brings a stay order from the High Court challenging the action. So, a legal structure is needed to deal with anomalies in Hajj and Umrah management. However, the Hajj pilgrims will be benefited from the law, he added.
According to the proposed law, none will be able to deal with Hajj pilgrims without having registration. The registration authorities can take action against any person or agency for irregularities. However, the registration of any Hajj and Umrah agency can be cancelled for anomalies. A Hajj agency can also be slapped with a fine of maximum Tk 50 lakh, while an Umrah agency with Tk 15 lakh for irregularities. If any agency gets warnings for two years in a row, its registration will be suspended automatically for the same period.
After enactment of the law, Hajj and Umrah activities will be monitored by the government directly. If a Bangladeshi gets involved in Hajj-related irregularities committed even in Saudi Arabia, it can be treated that it happened in Bangladesh and legal steps including criminal and administrative action can be taken.
The government has been carrying out the Hajj and Umrah activities only on the basis of a Hajj policy for the past 50 years. The policy is released each year just before the pilgrimage season. Against this backdrop, the religious affairs ministry framed the draft law in line with a directive of the Cabinet, issued in 2012, in order to enact a law instead of the existing policy.
Earlier, Saudi Arabia changed the Hajj management system in 2011. Later, India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia have framed laws.
