Agency Fined Tk 1 Lakh for Trying to Pocket Qurbani Money of 727 Hajj Pilgrims

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has fined Al Multazim Hajj Kafela Travels and Tours Tk 100,000 for taking money from Hajj pilgrims without ensuring their qurbani (sacrifice). Another agency, DBH International, has been warned for harassing pilgrims by failing to refund pre-registration money on time.

The decisions were announced in two separate notifications recently issued by the Hajj-4 branch of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

According to the notification, 14 Hajj pilgrims filed written complaints against Al Multazim Travels. The complaints said the agency collected 720 Saudi riyals — about Tk 23,652 — per person for qurbani from 2,200 pilgrims.

But data from the Nusuk Masar portal showed that of 2,077 pilgrims registered for Tamattu Hajj, qurbani was confirmed for only 1,350. For the remaining 727, the agency allegedly entered false information showing them as 'fasting' and attempted to embezzle the entire amount.

Although the complainants later withdrew their written applications, the investigation proved the fraud. It found that the qurbani of the remaining pilgrims had not been confirmed through the Nusuk portal or by any other means.

It was not only about qurbani — the agency also failed to provide the accommodation, food and transport services promised in its contract. For these offences, it was fined Tk 100,000 under the Hajj and Umrah Management Act.

The agency has been ordered to deposit the fine in the government treasury within the next 30 working days. If it fails, its user ID and password will be permanently blocked, the ministry warned.

Meanwhile, two pilgrims complained that DBH International did not refund their pre-registration money. They had pre-registered in 2022; after the registration was archived three years later, they pre-registered again in 2026.

When they later expressed inability to perform Hajj due to financial hardship and applied for a refund of their deposit, the agency did not return the money for a long time even after cancelling the registration.

The ministry's notification said that although the victims eventually got their money back and withdrew the complaint, they suffered severe harassment because the money was not returned on time. The agency has therefore been instructed to remain cautious in its future operations.

Complaints of irregularities by Hajj agencies are not new; but this time, with fraud proven in an investigation cross-checked against portal data, the ministry's fine and warning send a clear message to future pilgrims and agencies alike — every promised service, qurbani included, must be accounted for.