Dhaka: Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus directed the concerned ministry to establish a Hajj Management Center to provide pilgrims with round-the-clock services, ensuring a smooth, organized, and safe hajj journey. He issued this directive, on February 25, 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.

At present, there are 1,275 licensed Hajj agencies in the country. Of 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.

"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," said the Chief Adviser.

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 Center in Bangladesh to ensure continuous monitoring.

"Complaints received through the call center 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 added.

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

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.