The High Court on Monday allowed Hajj pilgrims to fly by whichever airlines they would like to take for performing Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
In response to a writ petition, the HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmad passed the order. It also issued a rule asking the government why its decision to not allow the Hajj pilgrims to fly in airlines other than Saudi Arabian Airlines or Biman Bangladesh for Hajj purposes should not be declared illegal.
The Secretaries of Religious Affairs, Civil Aviation and Tourism have been asked to reply to the rule within four weeks.
On April 24, the government in a meeting had decided that pilgrims in 2013 can only fly Saudi Arabian Airlines or Biman Bangladesh for Hajj purposes.
In last week, Hajj pilgrim Rezaul Islam, Al-Mahmud Travels proprietor Abdul Kabir Khan and the General Secretary of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) filed a writ petition with the HC challenging the legality of the government decision.
-With The independent input
