Cox's Bazar Correspondent

Religious Affairs Adviser Dr. A. F. M. Khalid Hossain today said they have successfully broken the air ticket syndicate for Umrah.

“Airline ticket syndicate has been broken for Umrah. So, the opportunity to sell at an excessive price by booking group tickets through syndicates has ended,” he said.

The adviser said this as the chief guest at an inaugural function of the District Model Mosque and Islamic Cultural Center in Cox's Bazar this noon.

He said from now on the air ticket booking would have to be done using the passport number of the concerned passenger.

“If the ticket is not issued within three days, the booking will be automatically canceled. The group ticket can’t be booked anymore to increase prices by double or triple,” he said.

A policy has also been formulated to this end, he added.Dr. Khalid said that an atmosphere of harmony has prevailed in Cox's Bazar since the distant past.

“There is no communal anarchy or misunderstanding here,” he said, expressing hope that this message of brotherhood will spread throughout Cox's Bazar through this mosque.

The event was presided over by Deputy Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar Mohammad Salahuddin. Officials from government and private departments including Project Director of the Model Mosque Project Shahidul Alam were present.

In this model mosque, 1,100 men can offer prayers at a time. There are separate ablution facilities and prayer facilities for women and the physically or visually impaired people.

The model mosque has been equipped with various amenities including car parking, bathing facilities for the deceased, conference room, auditorium, Quran education system, Islamic Foundation office, library, Imam training.

The government is constructing 564 model mosques across the country at a cost of Tk 9,500 crore. The construction work of 350 mosques has already been completed.