The High Court (HC) has allowed Hajj pilgrims to choose their airlines according to their preferences for reaching Saudi Arabia this year.
The HC division bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmad issued the order on Monday after preliminary hearings of a writ petition, reports Banglanews24.com.
Rezaul Islam, a Hajj pilgrim, Abdul Kabir, proprietor of Al-Mahmud Travels and also general secretary of the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) filed a writ petition last week challenging the government decision.
The government on April 24 decided not to allow pilgrims in 2013 any airliner except Saudi Arabian Airlines or Biman Bangladesh.
The court also issued a rule asking why the government decision would not be declared illegal.
The notices following the rule were ordered to be served to the secretaries of ministries of religious affairs, civil aviation and tourism and they were asked to reply within four weeks of receiving them.
Barrister Mahbub Shafique and KM Hafizul Alam stood for the petitioners while Deputy Attorney General Md Mokhlesur Rahman represented the state.