The High Court has ordered the Department of Environment to conduct mobile court drives twice a week against parties causing air pollution in the capital.
Additionally, it has ordered that within the next 15 days, all construction and renovation sites in Dhaka must be covered up in such ways that dust does not spread from there during the dry season. It ordered to spray water in dust-prone areas twice a day.
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The bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader issued the order on Monday after hearing a petition by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.
The mayors of the two city corporations, executive officers and the DoE director general have been asked to submit a report within the next two weeks on implementation of the court order.
The court also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the inactions of the local administration to prevent air pollution should not be declared illegal and why the authorities concerned should not be directed to take effective measures to prevent air pollution in the city.
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Eleven people, including the environment secretary, the DoE director general, the mayors and executive officers of Dhaka city corporations have been asked to respond within two weeks.
Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh filed the writ petition with the High Court on Sunday attaching the news and reports on air pollution in capital Dhaka.
Advocate Manzil Murshid stood for the petitioner and he said the government has utterly failed to prevent air pollution.
Dhaka is ranked third on the World Health Organisation's 2019 list of most polluted cities.