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Hajj flight fare hike decried

Staff Correspondent
Two organisations of hajj agencies and pilgrims yesterday strongly demanded that the government should not increase the plane fare of the country's hajj passengers.
"The proposal of the civil aviation ministry to increase the plane fare from $950 to $1250 is completely illogical and contrary to the interest of the hajj passengers," Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) President Abdus Shakur said while addressing a press conference at Hotel Purbani in the city.
Fuel price-hike cannot be any logic for increasing the plane fare of the hajj pilgrims as the Biman Bangladesh Airlines already charges extra amount at present as fuel surcharge, he argued adding, "The government could rather increase the fuel surcharge from $10 to $ 20 keeping the present fare unchanged."
"The decision to increase the plane fare for hajj pilgrims is also unfair as the increase is not imposed on the passengers of other routs of the Biman," the HAAB president said.
He sought the prime minister's intervention into the matter before the cabinet meeting tomorrow takes the final decision of increasing the fare.
HAAB Secretary General Zinnur Ahmed Chowdhury Dipu said the government should invite international tender for carrying hajj passengers by other international flights also if it fails to retain the plane fare at $ 950.
"We strongly believe that many international airlines will come forward to carry the hajj passengers and the plane fare then will come down below $ 900," he said.
Presently the Biman can carry only 40 percent of the total hajj pilgrims from the country while other international airlines, including the Saudia, carry the rest 60 percent, Dipu said.
"If the civil aviation ministry decides to increase the plane fare of Biman, the international airlines will also increase the fares of their hajj flights, thus taking away a huge amount of foreign exchange from the country," he added.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Hajj Passengers Welfare Council (BHPWC) yesterday at another press conference strongly protested the civil aviation ministry's proposal to increase the plane fare of hajj pilgrims.
"Performing the hajj will become difficult for the country's Muslims because of the government's decision to increase the plane fare," council President Advocate Abdullah Al-Naser said while addressing the press conference at the National Press Club.
He also demanded withdrawal of the government decision to carry hajj passengers by only two airlines.
BHPWC members Sheikh Ahsan Ullah, Abdus Salam, Manjurul Islam and Golam Hossain also spoke at the press conference.