Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrim arrested in Saudi Arabia for begging
Highlights
- Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrim Md Motiar Rahman was arrested in Saudi Arabia's Medina.
- Bangladesh's Religious Affairs Ministry said he tarnished Bangladesh's reputation by begging.
- Medina is one of the two major religious sites for Muslims in Saudi Arabia.
Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrim arrested: A Bangladeshi national was arrested in Saudi Arabia's Medina on June 22 for begging, according to media reports.
Bangladesh's Religious Affairs Ministry said that it has issued a show-cause notice to the agency arranging travel to Saudi for Hajj and said that the national, who has been identified as Md Motiar Rahman, has tarnished Bangladesh's reputation by begging on the pretext of having his bag stolen in Medina which is one of the two major religious sites for Muslims in Saudi Arabia.
Md Motiar Rahman is a native of Meherpur's Gangni Upazila. An official from the Bangladesh Hajj Mission later arranged for his release on bond.
The show-cause notice was issued to Dhanshiri Air Travels Ltd, the agency that facilitated Motiar's trip, on Jun 25, according to its Deputy Secretary Abul Kashem Muhammad Shaheen.
The incident disrupted Hajj management efforts and was in violation of the government's guidelines on Hajj and Umrah. Motiar also did not have a 'local guide' or a place to stay, the notice added. The agency has been asked to explain why administrative action would not be taken against them under the Hajj and Umrah Management Act within three days.
The Hajj is likely to be held on July 8, depending on the sighting of the moon. Hajj flights from Bangladesh started on Jun 5.
