Bangladesh parliament has passed a bill on Tuesday, allowing the government to regulate Hajj tour operators in the country. The Hajj and Umrah Management Act 2021 is aimed at addressing the irregularity and mismanagement of stakeholders in the country. 

"This is the very first bill for Hajj management in the history of Bangladesh," Faridul Haque Khan, the country’s state minister for religious affairs was quoted as saying by The Daily Star.

The new law will allow authorities to scrap the registration of any Hajj and Umrah agency for anomalies. Also, an operator can be slapped with a fine of up to $59000, while an Umrah agency with around $17000 for irregularities.

If an operator gets warnings for two years in a row, its registration will automatically be suspended for the same period. Also, lawsuits can be filed against criminal offenses committed in the Hajj and Umrah management Act.

Under the new law, if a Bangladeshi gets involved in Hajj-related irregularities even in Saudi Arabia, it can be treated as if it happened in Bangladesh and legal steps including criminal and administrative actions can be taken. 

(SAM)