Tk 10,000 fine daily for Hazaribagh tanners

The Supreme Court today ordered Hazaribagh tanners to pay a daily fine of Tk 10,000 for damaging the environment until they relocate to Savar.

Appellate Division of the apex court today reset the amount, which was Tk 50,000 earlier, after the tanners moved appeal petitions against the previous fine order.

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Half of the money will be given to Bangladesh Liver Foundation and rest of the money will be deposited to the government fund, the court order said.

READ MORE: The disaster that is Hazaribagh

Bangladesh government tried repeatedly to relocate the tanners from the area, but failed. The latest attempt was a March 31 deadline set during an inter-ministerial meeting on March 20.

Then, on June 16, the High Court ordered tanners to pay compensation of Tk 50,000 daily for damaging the environment, moved by a petition from Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

READ MORE: Screaming…Hazaribagh

Tannery Owners Association and Bangladesh Finished Lather, Lather Goods, and Footwear Exporters Association moved separate petitions seeking stay of the HC order.

The chamber judge stayed the High Court order until today before the apex court placed a new compensation sum on the 154 tannery factories still operating at Hazaribagh.

Editorial: How long we must wait for relocation?

Petitioner’s lawyer Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star hopes that the apex court’s verdict is a big progress towards relocation of the hazardous industry to Savar, the outskirts of Dhaka.