HC rejects tanners’ plea seeking more time to shift factories

The High Court today rejected a petition filed by tannery owners seeking its permission to operate their factories at Hazaribagh in Dhaka till Eid-ul-Azha.

The bench of Justice Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Salim passed the order after hearing argument from the counsels.

The Tannery Owners Association and Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters Association jointly filed the petition with the HC on March 23.

On March 6, the HC ordered the director general of Department of Environment (DoE) to snap utility service connections, including gas, power and water, to the tanneries as they were damaging the environment violating its earlier directives.

The March 6 HC order will remain in force following the today’s order, Sayeed Ahmed Kabir, a lawyer for Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela), told The Daily Star.

The DG of DoE has to submit a report before the HC after complying with its directives by April 6, he said.