Why coal-fired power plant in Maheshkhali: HC

The High Court on Monday issued a rule upon the government to explain in two weeks as to why it should not be directed to refrain from setting up a coal-fired power plant in Maheshkhali of Cox’s Bazar. The HC bench of Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar came up with the rule after hearing a writ petition filed as Public Interest Litigation. In the rule, the court also asked to know why the establishment of the power plant will not be declared contrary to section 18(a) of the constitution and the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act 1995. The secretaries to the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Land, and Environment and Forests ministries, the director general of Department of Environment (DoE), the chairman of Power Development Board, the Deputy Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar district and four others have been made respondents to the rule. Four residents of Maheshkhali — M Rafiqul Islam, Abul Hashem, Mohammad Hossain and Altaf Hossain — filed the writ petition with the High Court on October 6 last year. Barrister Sheikh M Zakir Hossain assisted by Mirza Al Mahmud and ZR Khan Robin stood for the petitioners during the hearing, according to UNB.