HC told of ship-breaking monitoring committee

A high-powered committee has been formed to monitor ship-breaking activities in the country, a deputy attorney general told the High Court yesterday.
The committee, headed by the forest and environment secretary, will take necessary steps regarding ship-breaking.
Deputy Attorney General Nazrul Islam Talukder told the HC during hearing of a petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) for stopping dismantling of toxic ships.
He also said the government is sincere to follow its directives for framing rules on ship-breaking.
The HC bench of Justice Md Iman Ali and Justice Md Abu Tariq yesterday fixed today for further hearing on the petition.
The government has recently informed this court that a total of 172 ships were imported for scrapping last year.
Following the petition, the HC on January 26 directed the government to submit a report within three weeks on the number of ships imported for scrapping since it delivered a verdict of a case in this connection on March 17 last year.
It also asked the government to state in the report how pre-cleaning of ships outside the territory of Bangladesh was ensured before importing those.
Iqbal Kabir Litan argued for Bela.