The High Court today questioned the legality of the action of authorities concerned for giving VIP status to war criminal Ghulam Azam' wife and two other family members at Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

The court issued a suomoto rule asking chairman of Civil Aviation Authority, home secretary and four other government officials to explain in two weeks on what criteria the family members of Ghulam Azam were given VIP status at the airport on April 8.

The HC bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman also asked the Civil Aviation Authority chairman to submit a report by May 12 on what steps have been taken against the officials for giving the status to them.

The judges came up with the rule and order following a report published in Bangla daily Janakantha on April 9.

Supreme Court lawyer Muntasir Uddin Ahmed placed the daily's report before the High Court saying that there is a government order that the family members of the war criminal cannot leave the county but they were given VIP status.

The HC fixed May 12 for passing further order on this issue, Muntasir told The Daily Star.

According to the report, Azam's wife Afifa Azam, his son's wife Tasnim Anjum and his nephew Lutful Kabir were scheduled to fly for Saudi Arabia.

According to Janakantha report airport director Group Captain Jakir Hasan arranged their VIP status hiding their identities.

Later, the intelligence officials informed high officials about their identities and after that they were sent back to their residence.