5 factories face action

The High Court yesterday directed the government to immediately take steps against five readymade garment factories at Ashulia of Savar for polluting farmlands, water bodies and air of adjacent areas by releasing toxic waste.
The factories are Mozrat Knitting and Dyeing Limited, Kazal Garments, Nasirullah Cotton Mills, Apparel Village Ltd and Simtex Industries Ltd.
In response to a writ petition, the HC ordered the government to assess the environmental and financial damage caused by the factories and submit a report within three months.
The government has to explain in four weeks' time why the operation of the factories should not be declared anti-public interest, said the court.
In the rule, Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore also asked the factory owners to explain within that period why they should not be directed to compensate villagers for the damage.
Bangladesh Environment Lawyers' Association (Bela) filed the petition on August 18 seeking directives on the government to shut the factories.
The organisation filed the petition following reports published in The Daily Star on environmental damage by the discharge of toxic waste of the garment factories.
The petition says the Department of Environment has already fined the five garment factories for damaging soil, water and air of the area.
Advocate Iqbal Kabir Lytton appeared for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General ABM Altaf Hossain represented the government.