Why imposing the burden of taxes on hajj pilgrims: HC questions

The High Court today said that subsidy is given to the hajj package for pilgrims in different other countries, whereas tax has been imposed on the hajj package in Bangladesh, let alone giving the subsidy.

"Plane fares for hajj pilgrims in India, Malaysia, and Indonesia are reasonable. But, why should so much cost be imposed for pilgrims of our country for performing hajj? It is causing loss to the poor people," the HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Showkat Ali Chowdhury said during the hearing of a petition.

Supreme Court lawyer Ashraf-Uz-Zaman, chief coordinator of Al-Quran Study Centre, filed the petition as a supplementary writ petition with the HC, seeking its directive on the government to reduce the plane fare of a hajj pilgrim of the country to Tk 1.45 lakh from Tk 1.98 lakh, which has been fixed earlier through deducting the tax.

The HC kept the petition in record and asked Assistant Attorney General Samiul Alam to discuss with the attorney general whether the plane fare could be reduced to a tolerable level.

Earlier on March 14 this year, the bench led by Justice KM Kamrul Kader said this year's hajj package is inhuman as its cost is so high.

Those involved in fixing this costly hajj package will become sharers of the sin, the bench said while hearing the same writ petition that challenged the government decision to fix Tk 6.83 lakh as the hajj package per pilgrim this year.

The court issued a rule questioning the legality of this year's hajj package.

Lawyer Gazi Md Mohsin appeared for the petitioner during the hearing.