Chemical Use: HC asks govt to monitor fruit market, warehouses

The High Court has directed the government to form teams to monitor fruit markets and warehouses across the country to prevent use of harmful chemicals.

A bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader issued the directive yesterday after hearing a petition filed by the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

The inspector general of police, director general of Rab, and the chairman and director of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution have to form separate surveillance teams within seven days and submit a report to the HC by June 18.

During the hearing, petitioner’s lawyer Manzill Murshid said if the fruit markets and warehouses were not monitored then use of toxic chemicals would result in public health hazards.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Attorney General ABM Abdullah-Al-Mahmud Bashar, on behalf of Rajshahi divisional commissioner, submitted a report to the court that magistrates and police had been deployed in the mango orchards of Rajshahi region.

The move was made in compliance with an HC order passed on April 9 asking the authorities concerned to prevent use of toxic chemicals in the popular summer fruit.