Deploy magistrates to take action against polluters: HC

The High Court yesterday directed the public administration secretary to deploy five executive magistrates within a month under the Department of Environment (DoE), to take necessary action against air and environment pollution across the country.

The court also ordered the DoE to formulate a guideline with the help of relevant experts from universities and NGOs to prevent pollution and improve air quality, then submit the guideline before it.

The director general of DoE has been asked to submit a report on compliance of the directives before the court by March 10.

The HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader came up with the order while hearing a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), seeking necessary order to prevent air and environment pollution in the country.

During the hearing, DoE Director General

Dr AKM Rafique Ahammed appeared before the HC bench as per its January 13 order.

He told the court that the DoE has taken different steps to prevent pollution, including shutting down illegal brick kilns in the country.

But the DoE has a shortage of manpower, including executive magistrates, to enforce the steps, he added.

Writ petitioner’s counsel Advocate Manzill Murshid told the court that the DoE is supposed to have eight executive magistrates as per its organogram to launch drives against pollution across the country, but the department has only three executive magistrates for this purpose.

He prayed to the HC bench to order the authorities concerned of the government to assign five executive magistrates under the DoE.

Advocate Amatul Karim appeared for the DoE while Deputy Attorney General Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar represented the state.