Zamzam water sales halted temporarily
31 January 2023
Staff Reporter :
The department concerned has banned the selling of holy water of Mecca's Zamzam Well temporarily in the capital's Baitul Mukarram market.
The Islamic Foundation of Bangladesh has been asked to verify whether it is even legal to sell this water or not.
The decision was taken during a view exchange meeting with traders held at the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) head office in the city on Monday.
However, selling of Zamzam water is totally prohibited in Saudi Arabia as this water only distributed among the Hajj and Umrah pilgrims free of cost by the Saudi government.
A special drive is underway to find out if the holy water is being sold elsewhere in the country, DNCRP Director General AHM Shafiquzzaman said, adding, "It is a sensitive matter. After we were notified of the issue, we decided to hold an urgent meeting. Then we decided to ban the sale of Zamzam water in Baitul Mukarram market temporarily, because we never heard of Zamzam water being sold in Saudi Arabia."
Shafiquzzaman said the temporary ban also encompasses any scope of online sales as well.
According to DNCRP DG, "What's most worrisome is if the Saudi government comes to know about this, it may give rise to a negative perception towards our country. Saudi Arabia may revoke permission to bring Zamzam water to Bangladesh indefinitely."
Abdul Jabbar Mandal, assistant director of DNCRP said that during a raid in Baitul Mukarram market, small bottles of Zamzam water were found being sold at Tk 300, while 5 litre bottles were being sold at Tk 2,500.
"We don't know the source of Zamzam water which is selling in Bangladesh. We have doubt regarding purity of this water," President of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) M Shahadat Hossain Taslim, told The New Nation on Monday.
It is totally unethical to sale Zamzam water, he said and added, "As per hajj guidelines and agreement, each pilgrim get only a bottle of 5-litre zamzam water free of cost during returning to Bangladesh after Hajj and Umrah. So, there is no scope to bring more water."
Representative of Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Abdul Hannan said that they enquired in Saudi Arabia and found that Zamzam water is not sold there.
"Selling of Zamzam water in Saudi Arabia is considered a crime there. All pilgrims are allowed to bring five liter bottles only. So, the question remains as to whether the newly bottled water being sold is really Zamzam water or not," he said.
