The High Court yesterday issued a rule asking why the hajj package announced by the government this year should not be declared to be against public interest.

The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Ali issued the rule.

The court also wanted to know why other airlines besides Biman and Saudi Airlines are not included in the list of airlines for booking tickets for hajj, keeping the affordability of the pilgrims in mind.

Religious Affairs Secretary, Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary, Director General of the Islamic Foundation and Hajj Association of Bangladesh have been asked to respond to the rule within the next four weeks.

On March 6, Supreme Court lawyer and chief coordinator of Al-Quran Study Center Ashraf Uz Zaman sent a legal notice to the government to review the hajj package price and set it at Tk 4 lakh.

The notice -- which stated that legal action will be taken against the authorities concerned if they don't take necessary steps within a week -- was also sent to the religious affairs ministry.

The government fixed the cost of hajj for the current year at Tk 6.83 lakh. On the other hand, the minimum cost for hajj pilgrims under private management (without qurbani) has been set at Tk 6.72 lakh.  With the announced packages, a pilgrim will have to spend around 1.5 lakh taka extra this year, compared to the previous year's budget.