DHAKA: The High Court Monday issued rule asking the government to explain in 15 days why necessary directives should not be given to stop the use of toxic tannery wastes in making animal fodder and fish feed.

On this matter of public health concerns, the court also gave four directions, including immediate shutdown of the facilities making such dangerous mix.  

An HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Justice Sheikh M Zakir Hossain issued the rule upon the secretaries of Commerce, Industries, Health, and Fisheries, the IGP, the BSTI Chairman and the BCSIR Director following the filing of a writ petition.
 
Advocate Monjil Morshed, Advocate Asaduzzaman Siddiqui and Mahbubul Islam on behalf of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh filed the writ Monday “in public interest”, as reports are rife about the risky mix in food for the animals and fishes who become food for the humans.

According to the petition, tannery wastes from Hazaribagh in the capital are being used in manufacturing fodder and fish feed, which is posing threat to public health.

In its directives the court ordered forming a high-powered monitoring committee comprising all the respondents within 15 days and formulate a system and policy to stop using toxic tannery wastes in manufacturing fodder in districts, including the capital, Dhaka.

It also directed the managing Director of BSTI, the IGP and the Chairman of BCSIR to order the factories processing tannery wastes into fodder and feed in Hazaribagh area to “stop doing the business” and “shut down their factories forthwith”.

The respondents were also asked to submit compliance report within a fortnight.

The HC asked the Health Secretary to do chemical test of the samples of egg, fish, chicken and meat in the Chemistry Department of Dhaka University.

Advocate Manjil Morshed stood for the plaintiff while Deputy Attorney-General Nazrul Islam for the state side during the hearing.

BDST 1909 HRS JULY 26, 2010