HC issues rule on recruiting manpower, establishing training centres under DoE

The High Court today issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government to explain in two weeks why they should not be directed to recruit adequate manpower and set up offices and training centres under the Department of Environment (DoE) at upazila levels across the country in order to protect and develop environment.

Secretaries to the cabinet division, president's office, prime minister's office and ministries of finance, environment and forest, and public administration have been made respondents to the rule.

The HC bench of Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore and Justice Mohammad Ullah came up with the rule following a writ petition filed by rights organisation--Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) seeking necessary directives on this issue.

During today's hearing on the petition, HRPB's lawyer and its President Manzill Murshid told the HC that the authorities concerned of the government have submitted several reports to the court saying that the DoE could not take necessary steps to protect and develop the environment due to shortage of manpower and office through there are directives from the courts and there are provisions under the constitution and law to do so.

The DoE on September 22, 2014 and on August 1, 2019 sent two separate letters to the authorities concerned of the government proposing to recruit adequate manpower but the proposals were not implemented, Manzill Murshid added.

Deputy Attorney General Kazi Mynul Hasan represented the state while lawyer Amatul Karim appeared for the DoE.