Tanneries in Dhaka city have to shut down as Supreme Court upholds verdict

Tanneries at Dhaka's Hazaribagh have to close down as the Appellate Division has upheld the High Court verdict to snap utility services and close the factories immediately.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 12 March 2017, 05:46 AM
Updated : 12 March 2017, 07:52 AM

On Sunday, the three-member bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha scrapped the petition challenging the court's decision.

On Mar 6, the High Court ordered immediate closure of tanneries in the city and instructed authorities to snap power, water and gas connections for them.

The court's verdict came following a petition by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers' Association (BELA).

Bangladesh Finished Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters' Association (BFLGFA) Chairman Mahiuddin Ahmed Mahin moved the Appellate Division to stay the order.

BFLGFA counsel said during Sunday's hearing: "My clients are yet to receive the compensation to relocate. It's a matter of a lot of people's livelihoods. At least give us time until June."

"We are sorry," is what the court said before rejecting the petition.

BELA chief executive Syeda Rizwana Hasan told the media on Monday that in October 2010, the High Court gave six months time for the tanneries to move from Hazaribagh, which expired in April 2001. But the government extended it to Mar 31 this year.

"So we filed a petition in January this year and the court ordered the tanneries to shut down immediately and told the government to snap their utility connections."

The High Court also told the Department of Environment to ensure all the tanneries at Hazaribagh are relocated immediately. The home secretary, industries secretary, Bangladesh Police chief and Dhaka Metropolitan Police chief had been asked to extend all necessary cooperation.

It has also instructed the Department of Environment chief to file an update over the matter by Apr 6.