Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus today directed the relevant ministry to establish a Hajj Management Centre to provide round-the-clock services for pilgrims, ensuring a smooth, organised, and safe Hajj journey.

He issued this directive during a meeting of the National Committee on Hajj Management, held at the State Guesthouse Jamuna.

The chief adviser stated that every effort should be made to ensure that no pilgrim faces any difficulties.

Currently, there are 1,275 licensed Hajj agencies in the country. Among them, 941 agencies are qualified for Hajj operations, 753 agencies are authorized for Hajj pilgrim registration, and 70 agencies serve as lead agencies.

The chief adviser instructed that the responsibilities of these agencies be clearly outlined and published both in a booklet format and online.

He said, "The government must ensure that the agencies fulfil their responsibilities properly and take strict action if they fail. The entire Hajj process must be straightforward and transparent. It should be clearly documented what the government's responsibilities are and what the agencies' responsibilities are."

He added, "There must be clear guidelines on what to do if a pilgrim gets lost, falls ill, loses their luggage, or faces any other issues, and whom to inform in such cases. Every pilgrim must receive this booklet. Special emphasis should also be placed on measures for women and children."

Prof Yunus stressed the need to establish a Hajj Management Centre in Bangladesh to ensure continuous monitoring and support from the country itself.

"Complaints received through the call centre should be monitored in real-time. A dedicated website must be developed where all pilgrims can stay connected, report issues, and track lost individuals through location services," he said.

The chief adviser also directed that complaints received at the call centre be systematically monitored to formulate future action plans.

"All complaints should be recorded, including how many have been resolved and how many remain unresolved. Necessary discussions and corrective actions must be taken to prevent the recurrence of such issues in the future," he stated.

Additionally, he ordered the cancellation of licenses for agencies that failed to fulfil their responsibilities.

To ensure that pilgrims are well-informed about their responsibilities and to prevent confusion, he also instructed the production of topic-based instructional videos.

This year, 5,200 pilgrims have registered under government management, while 81,900 pilgrims have registered under private management. The government has decided not to send any pilgrims at state expense this year.

Religious Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain was present at the meeting.