The Ministry of Religious Affairs has sought explanations from six travel agencies after allegations that they cancelled registered Hajj pilgrims without approval and replaced them with other individuals.

The agencies named are Relation Travel and Tours, FM Tours and Travels, Fiha Tour and Travels, Mir Amina Travels and Tours, Shitalakkhya Travels Limited and Ansari Overseas.

The ministry’s Hajj Section-2 said on Tuesday that under Rule 13 of the Hajj and Umrah Management Regulations, a registered pilgrim may only be replaced under specific conditions, such as death or serious illness.

In the event of death, a certified death certificate issued by a civil surgeon or Upazila health official must be submitted to the Dhaka Hajj Office, after which a pre-registered person may be considered for replacement, with priority given to family members.

For serious illness, a civil surgeon’s report is required, and replacement must be approved by the government before any cancellation or substitution is made in accordance with the registration queue.

However, the ministry said the six agencies violated these rules by replacing pilgrims without official permission, which is a clear breach of the Hajj and Umrah management framework.

The agencies have been instructed to submit a written explanation within three working days of receiving the notice, justifying their actions.

The ministry warned that failure to respond satisfactorily would result in administrative action under the Hajj and Umrah Management Act.

This year, a total of 78,500 pilgrims from Bangladesh are supposed to perform Hajj, with 30 lead agencies overseeing arrangements.

According to the latest ministry bulletin issued on Monday night, 52,334 Bangladeshi pilgrims have already arrived in Saudi Arabia for Hajj.