The Supreme Court has directed the government to stop further distribution of the wheat imported from Brazil to any organisation or department until further notice.
The apex court also stayed a High Court order that directed the government to take back the wheat imported from Brazil, if anyone wanted to return it, for two weeks.
The four-member Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order yesterday morning after hearing a petition moved by the government seeking a stay on the High Court order.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said the court asked the government to file a regular petition in this regard.
“We will file the petition after getting the copy of the Supreme Court order,” he said.
The High Court issued an order on July 8 which said the government should take back the imported wheat if any consumer wanted to return it.
The court also issued a ruling that the government should not force the consumers to buy or consume said wheat.
The next day, the government appealed with the Supreme Court against the High Court order, and the chamber judge of the Appellate Division stayed the High Court verdict until July 26.
Based on a report of Directorate General of Food, the court observed that the Tk4 billion wheat imported from Brazil was “fit for human consumption.”
On June 30, the High Court asked the authorities concerned to clarify whether the wheat was suitable for human consumption.
According to media reports, around 200,000 tonnes of the wheat, imported from Brazil and supplied by Singapore-based contractor Olam International, is of substandard quality.
