The High Court has ordered the authorities concerned to seize vehicles responsible for excessive emission of fumes.
The court asked the government to take steps to set a life term for the road worthiness of vehicles as per the Road Transport Act 2018, and to prohibit the use of vehicles that surpass the time a vehicle is authorized to be on the roads.
Following a supplementary petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), the High Court bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader issued nine directives on Monday, to bring down air pollution in Dhaka.
Advocate Manzill Murshid appeared for the writ petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Abdullah-Al-Mahmud Bashar represented the state.
The High Court summoned the director general of the Department of Environment (DoE) to appear on February 2 to explain why this problem cannot be contained.
The nine point directive includes ensuring the use of covers on trucks or other vehicles that transport sand or soil in Dhaka city.
Appropriate steps should be taken to stop burning of tyres and recycling of vehicle batteries without approval from the DoE, the court said.
At construction sites, contractors should cover the work to prevent the spread of dust, it said.
As per its previous order, the HC ordered the authorities concerned to sprinkle water on streets that were left out.
The government has been instructed to ensure complete road construction, excavation work, or carpeting, complying with laws and rules.
The DoE was asked to shut down in the next two months, the remaining illegal brick fields which are operating without a license.
The High Court asked the government authorities concerned to take steps to ensure that all the market owners or shopkeepers keep their garbage in bags and city corporations to remove them when shops or markets close.
The HRPB filed a writ petition attaching a report published in several newspapers on January 21 last year, concerning air pollution in Dhaka.