Rating high packages for Hajj is equal to sin: High Court

The High Court said that the Hajj package which has been fixed for 6 lakh 83 thousand and 18 taka is "inhumane". The court said that the responsibility for the loss of the aircraft cannot be imposed on the Hajj pilgrims.

The High Court bench of Justices KM Kamrul Quader and Mohammad Ali expressed these views on Tuesday during the hearing of the writ seeking advice on how to reduce the expense of Hajj. The court also stated that those who are involved in making this high-price package will be part of committing sin.

During the hearing of the writ, the court also said that Malaysia and Indonesia have Hajj funds. Bangladesh and India have fewer funds. After Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, no one else gave it any thought.

The court said that other than Saudi Arabian and Biman Bangladesh Airlines, who are attempting to conduct business here, left no way to purchase tickets from any other airlines.

Advocate Gazi Md. Mohsin, Advocate Ashraf-Uz Zaman Khan, Advocate Ahsan Ullah and several other lawyers passed the hearing in favor of the writ. High Court lawyer Ashraf-Uz Zaman filed a writ on March 12 seeking instructions to reduce the amount of money and announce the package again.

In the writ, the Secretary of Religion, the Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Tourism, the Director General of the Islamic Foundation have been made defendants.

On March 6, a legal notice was sent to the government to revise the Hajj package price and set it at 4 lakh taka. Advocate Ashraf Uz Zaman, Supreme Court lawyer and chief coordinator of Al-Qur'an Study Center sent this notice to the Ministry of Religion.

The Government determined the cost of Hajj at 6 lakh 83 thousand and 18 taka for the current season. On the other hand, the minimum price for Hajj pilgrims under private management has been fixed at 6 lakh 72 thousand 618 taka without Qurbani. The price increased to one and half lakh taka compared to the previous year.