The High Court on Thursday ordered the authorities concerned to submit a report within two weeks on the steps taken to prevent pollution of the Buriganga river.
The High Court bench of Justice Gobinda Chandra Thakur and Justice Mohammad Ullah passed the order and fixed May 20 as the next hearing date, following a supplementary petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB).
HRPB counsel Barrister Manzill Murshid said the High Court had issued some directives to stop pollution of the river following a writ petition filed as public interest litigation in 2011, reports UNB.
In its ruling, the court had ordered the closure of all the sewerage and industrial effluent lines that are connected to the Buriganga within six months, as well as conducting awareness programs against dumping of garbage into the river.
The supplementary petition was filed as the authorities concerned did not follow the High Court directives properly.
The respondents, including Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) chairman; Environment Department director general; BIWTA (Port and Traffic) chairman; Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) director; Dhaka deputy commissioner; Dhaka South City Corporation; and officers-in-charge of Lalbagh, Kamrangirchar, Hajaribagh, Demra, and Kotwali police stations were asked to submit the report within two weeks.
