HC opens Hajj flight options

The High Court has declared illegal the government decision allowing only national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Saudi Arabian Airlines to carry the entire Hajj pilgrims from Bangladesh.

A HC bench comprising Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice Habibul Gani passed the order after the final hearing of both sides on a pending writ petition challenging the legality of the government decision.

Barrister Mahbub Shafique and Advocate KM Hafizul Alam argued for the petitioner at the hearing while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Deputy Attorney General Mokhlesur Rahman stood for the state.

On April 24 last year, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism decided that only Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Saudi Airlines would carry the entire Hajj pilgrims.

Abdul Kabir Khan, proprietor of Al Mahmud Travels and General Secretary of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAB) and Rezaul Islam, a pilgrim, jointly filed the writ petition against the government decision, on July 29 the same year.

The High Court on Thursday also passed an ad-interim order stating that pilgrims can choose any airlines of their own choice while going to perform Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

The petitioners in their petition said that the government decision to carry the entire Hajj pilgrims only by Biman and Saudi Arabian Airlines was contrary to the Competition Act-2012 which outlaws market abuses and anti-competitive behaviour. Following the government decision, the pilgrims became depended on the two airlines to get air tickets.

There was so need for creating such a monopoly in the country, the petition said.