Publish list of pollutants: HC

The High Court on Monday ordered publishing the list of the organisations or persons responsible for polluting the environment within one week through a press release and on the website of the Department of Environment (DoE).

An HC bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim passed the order and asked the authorities concerned to submit a progress report on the issue within two weeks after implementing the court order.

The court also issued a rule upon the concerned bodies to explain in four weeks as to why the ineffectiveness of the respondents in publishing the names should not be declared illegal.

The HC issued another rule asking why directives should not be given to publish the names of the responsible persons involved in polluting the environment.

Environment Secretary, Information Secretary, Director General of the Department of Environment and other respondents have been asked to comply with the rule.

Lawyer Manzill Murshid appeared in the court hearing on behalf of the HRPB, while Assistant Attorney General Nasim Islam Raju represented the state.

The writ petition said the DoF recently decided not to publish the names of individuals and institutions responsible for polluting the environment.

The HRPB filed the writ petition with the HC challenging the decision of the DoE.

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