The High Court directed on Wednesday the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) to submit a list of the companies involved in adulteration of milk and curd within May 15, reports UNB.
A bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order after a report in this regard was submitted before the court.
The report said harmful chemical lead and antibiotics were found in 96 samples of unpacked milk collected from the market.
Besides, adulteration was evident in 18 of the 31 samples of packaged milk but the names of the milk-producing companies responsible for the adulteration were absent in the report.
Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik stood for the state.
On February 11, the High Court directed the authorities concerned to conduct a survey to determine how much cow milk, dairy products and cow fodders containing bacteria, antibiotic, lead and pesticides are supplied across the country.
The High Court bench of Justice Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice K M Hafizul Alam came up with the order following a report published in different national dailies on adulterated milk.
The HC also asked the authorities concerned to submit a report within 15 days.
The Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock and Health secretaries, Cabinet secretaries, all members of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, members of Central Food Safety Management Coordination Committee, and Chairman of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) were made respondents to the rule.
Besides, the court issued a rule seeking explanation as to why the inaction and failure of the respondents to stop the adulteration of cow milk and dairy food would not be declared illegal and those who are mixing lead and pesticides with those would not be brought under the ambit of law.
Different national dailies published a report on February 10 citing a survey report on the presence of pesticides, antibiotic and bacteria in raw cow milk.
Meanwhile, the High Court on Wednesday also ordered the authorities concerned to prepare a list of the areas receiving highly contaminated water supplied by Dhaka Wasa.
The High Court bench of Justice JBM Hasan and Justice Khairul Alam passed the order following a writ petition filed by Tanvir Ahmed, a Supreme Court lawyer.
Tanvir said, "I filed a writ petition over the presence of harmful bacteria in Wasa water.
Following the writ, the High Court formed a five-member committee on November 6, 2018 to examine the water supplied by Wasa and submit a report within two months."
Instead of submitting the report, the Ministry of Local Government submitted a progress report on the committee formation and its jurisdiction.
The court then directed Deputy Attorney General Motahar Hossain to inform the court about the amount of money needed for examining the waters of different areas and sources of funding.
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