Even after attaining their visas, around 15,000 non-ballottee pilgrims out of 48,000 will not be able to reach Saudi Arabia as Bangladesh Biman had to cancel 15 flights on the Dhaka-Jeddah route from November 31 to December 4 due to the Tasria problem and will not operate additional hajj flights beyond its already declared schedule (November 26 to December 22).

"It will not be possible to carry more than 24,000 hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia even if the full capacity of Biman is utilised till December 22. There is no additional slot for landing of the airliners at Jeddah air port after the schedule," said Syed Ahsan Hossain Kazi, deputy general managers (public relations) of Bangladesh Biman Corporation.

Only around 2,680 non-ballottee pilgrims received Tasria before the Tasria issue was resolved on December 1 after Information and Religious Affairs Adviser Mahbubul Alam and Textile and Jute Affairs Adviser Sultana Kamal flew to Saudi Arabia and settled the issue with the Saudi authority concerned.

Meanwhile, Biman Bangladesh Airlines had been compelled to cancel the flights from November 31 to December 4 and incurred a loss of Tk 29 crore since most of the non-ballottee pilgrims could not attain their visas from the Saudi embassy as they did not get Tasria in time. Tasria is the key document required by the Saudi embassy for issuing the visa, sources said.

However, Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (Haab), a platform of all hajj agencies in the country, blamed the Biman authorities for the uncertainty of around 15,000 non-ballottee pilgrims' fate, as they (Biman) did not consult with Haab before finalising the flight schedule.

"Biman could easily ferry all non-ballottee pilgrims if the authorities consulted with us before making the flight schedule," Haab President Mohammed Faruque told The Daily Star adding that the Biman authorities should be held responsible for Biman's loss.

On the other hand, Biman authorities said the flight schedules were made as per Jeddah Airport's slot availability.

Several hajj pilgrims were killed and injured when some unfit houses collapsed during hajj last year. The Saudi government has already demolished some 200 unfit residential houses and its embassy in Dhaka enforced strict Tasria regulations for issuing visas to non-ballottee pilgrims.

The main reason for the delay in Tasria approval for non-ballottee pilgrims under the supervision of different Bangladeshi hajj agencies is, Moyasesa's (the Saudi authority for cheeking residential house fitness) enforcement of much more restrict regulations this year while approving Tasria as most Bangladeshi hajj agencies, like previous years, had rented unfit houses for the pilgrims, said the sources.

"We have already received Tasria for 25,000 non-ballottee pilgrims and the rest of the pilgrims will receive Tasria very soon. But a large number of non-ballottee pilgrims will not be able to perform hajj even after getting Tasria and visas if Bangladesh Biman does not operate additional flights," said Haab President Faruque.

Denying the allegation of hiring unfit houses by hajj agencies, he said that most of the hajj agencies have rented the same houses that they hired and received approval last year.

"We had hired such residences in Makka and in other cities in Saudi Arabia during the Ramadan and the Saudi government did not post 'unfit' notice on those," he added.

He also said the hajj agencies faced difficulties collecting Tasria due to irresponsibly inactive Bangladeshi hajj mission in Saudi Arabia and corrupt officials at Moyasesa. "Whenever we (their representative in Saudi Arabia) asked them about Tasria, Moyasesa officials always said "tahalbukra" (come tomorrow)," Faruque told The Daily Star.

Among a total of 48,000 non-ballottee pilgrims, Bangladesh Biman will most likely be able to ferry around 24,000 non-ballottee pilgrims till December 22 while Saudia, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, will carry about 10,000 pilgrims.

Haab urged to the Caretaker Government to intervene and take effective measures to operate additional flights for the hajj pilgrims.

Bangladesh Biman has already flown 2,505 pilgrims under direct supervision of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.