Dr. A.F.M. Khalid Hossain, Advisor to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, has announced that the syndicate system in Hajj and Umrah air ticketing is now a thing of the past. Group bookings no longer allow middlemen to hoard and resell tickets at inflated prices. In the future, tickets must be booked using the pilgrim’s passport number, and if not issued within three days, the booking will be automatically canceled. “There will be no more cases of doubling or tripling ticket prices through syndicate-controlled group bookings. A new policy has been put in place to ensure fairness,” he stated.
He made these remarks this Friday afternoon while inaugurating the District Model Masjid and Islamic Cultural Center in Cox’s Bazar.
Dr. Khalid Hossain emphasized the long-standing harmony in Cox’s Bazar, stating, “For many years, this district has upheld an atmosphere of religious unity. There is no communal unrest or misunderstandings here. This mosque will serve as a symbol of brotherhood, spreading a message of unity across Cox’s Bazar.”
Highlighting the mosque’s extensive facilities, he noted that it can accommodate 1,100 male worshippers simultaneously, with separate prayer and ablution spaces for women and physically or visually impaired individuals. Additionally, the mosque features parking facilities, a bathing area for deceased bodies, a conference hall, an auditorium, a Qur’an learning center, an office for the Islamic Foundation, a library, and an imam training center.
It is worth mentioning that the government is constructing 564 model mosques across the country at a cost of Tk 9,500 crore. Over 350 mosques have been completed so far.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Courtesy
