A total of 14,212 Bangladeshi pilgrims out of 85,257 expected to perform Hajj under both government and private management have already left Dhaka for Saudi Arabia in last three days after beginning of the Hajj flights on Friday.
However, Hajj visa for around 11,167 pilgrims haven yet been issued as the agencies delayed to submit their applications. Though the deadline to apply for Hajj visas concluded on Saturday night, the Saudi authority hasn yet closed the visa application server. Visa issuance was continuing on Sunday.
When contacted, Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) President M. Shahadat Hossain Taslim told this correspondent that though the deadline is over, visa issuance is still on. The visa application server is also running. The government is working to give an announcement of further extension of deadline.
He claimed that there is no uncertainty over pilgrimage of the 12,000 pilgrims from Bangladesh who haven yet secured their visas. Hope the process will be completed soon.
This years Hajj, scheduled for June 16, contingent on moon sighting.
As of today, the latest figures revealed that 72,138 individuals had successfully obtained their Saudi visas, with an additional 259 currently in the visa printing process.
However, this leaves precisely 11,167 applicants in limbo, with their chances of attending the Hajj in jeopardy unless the Saudi government grants another extension.
In response to the crisis, Religious Affairs Minister Faridul Haq Khan has formally requested a third extension from the Saudi authorities to accommodate the backlog.
Religious Affairs Secretary A Hamid Zamadder said, "We remain in constant communication with our counterparts in the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. We are hopeful for an extension in the visa application period."
Zamadder also noted that other countries, including India and Indonesia, are facing similar issues, which might influence Saudi Arabia to extend the visa deadline.
Despite the governments efforts, issues with local Hajj agencies have compounded the problem. These agencies have reportedly failed to secure accommodations in Saudi Arabia, a prerequisite for visa approval, leading to last-minute scrambles and heightened uncertainty.
The agencies are now racing against time, trying to secure housing at lower rates, which has delayed visa processing.
The first batch of pilgrims departed on May 9, with flights scheduled to continue until June 10. Upon completion of Hajj, return flights are slated from June 20 through July 22.
