Bangladesh PM leaves for Haj

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday left for Saudi Arabia to perform Haj.

Sheikh Rehana, Hasina's younger sister, is accompanying her. She is scheduled to return home on March 11. Meanwhile, in a noble gesture, Hasina took a personal initiative to enable all 52 pilgrims, cheated by a travel agency, to visit Holy Makkah.

"All the pilgrims will now be travelling by Saudi Airlines tomorrow to perform Haj," Hasina's Deputy Press Secretary Akhtaruddin Ahmed said.

The Makkah-Madina Travels and Tours owned by Alhaj Maulana Syed Nasir Ahmed Kawsar, brother of the Peer of Charmonai, had cheated the pilgrims and fled with their money. After frantic efforts, her office got a message from the Saudi authorities that the pilgrims would be allowed to perform Haj.

As soon as the good news reached the pilgrims, some of them burst into tears, while others prayed to Almighty Allah.

"We pray to Almighty Allah for divine blessings for our Prime Minister. May Allah bless her," said Sakawat Hossain, who is going to perform Haj with his old mother and aunt.

Another pilgrim, Abdur Rahman, said, "We're very happy, we can't express our joy in word. She is so concerned about our problems. We will pray to Allah for her welfare."

On Wednesday evening, a delegation of pilgrims rushed to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganobhaban and narrated the story of how they were cheated by the Makkah-Madina Travels and Tours which took more than one lakh taka from each.

After listening to their story, the Prime Minister gave an instant order to arrange for their tickets.

"If necessary, I will bear the cost of tickets," said the Prime Minister. She also asked for the arrests of the culprits.

Among the pilgrims, there are many old men and women who sold out their land and property to perform Haj.