High Court summons industries secretary over relocation of tanneries from Hazaribagh

The High Court has summoned Industries Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan for defying its orders to shift tanneries away from the capital’s Hazaribagh.

Court CorrespondentSupreme bdnews24.com
Published : 21 April 2015, 08:58 PM
Updated : 21 April 2015, 08:58 PM

The industries secretary will have to appear before the court on May 19.
 
The bench of Justices Md Ashfaqul Islam and Kashefa Hussain issued the summons on Tuesday.
 
In another order, the bench summoned Women and Children Affairs Secretary Tariqul Islam and Shishu Academy Director Mosharraf Hossain for not handing over Supreme Court’s land despite orders.
 
They were asked to appear on May 6.
 
NGO Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) filed petitions over the orders.
 
Lawyer Manzill Murshid stood for the petitioner and Assistant Attorney General Suchira Hossain for the state.
 
After the orders, Murshid said the High Court had ordered relocation of tanneries from Hazaribagh.
 
“The order was not followed after they were given time several times. So the court issued the rule over contempt of court,” he said.
 
The High Court had issued the order to shift the tannery Industries from Hazaribagh in 2001.
 
On Jun 23, 2009, the court set a deadline of Feb 24, 2010 to implement the order.
 
The time was extended for six more months following a government appeal on Oct 30, 2010. The time expired on Apr 30, 2011.
 
Even after the extension, the tanneries at Hazaribagh were not shifted and HRPB brought the allegation of contempt of court.
  
The High Court on Apr 15, 2014 issued a rule over HRPB’s petition.
 
About the other order, Murshid said the High Court on Mar 10, 2011 ordered to hand over Supreme Court’s land occupied by the Sharak Bhaban and Shishu Academy.                     

An appeal was filed against the verdict but the High Court order was upheld by the Supreme Court.
 
Sharak Bhaban later handed over the land but the Shishu Academy did not.
 
The High Court on Apr 7 this year issued a rule on people related to the matter.
 
Murshid said a petition was filed later seeking appearance of the women and children affairs secretary and Shishu Academy director.