Relocation of Hazaribagh tanneries

HC releases fine order

The High Court (HC) yesterday released its order that had, on June 16, asked 154 tannery owners, who are yet to relocate their ternaries from Hazaribagh to Savar according to its directive, to pay Tk. 50,000 per day each in compensation for damaging the environment. Advocate Manzill Murshid, counsel for the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), told The Independent that he has received the certified copy of the High Court order that had ordered the tannery owners to pay TK 50 thousand per day each in compensation for damaging the environment. “The tannery owners have to pay the fine from tomorrow (Friday), if they are not shifted their tanneries from Hazaribagh to Savar,” he added.
Md Shakawat Ullah, general secretary of Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA), however, told The Independent that they are yet to receive the copy of the High Court order. “After receiving the certified copy of the HC order, we will file appeal with the Supreme Court against the HC order,” he added. In an order, the HC bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice AKM Shahidul Huq ordered 154 tannery owners to pay Tk. 50,000 per day each in compensation for damaging the environment.
It asked the tannery owners to keep depositing the money to the government fund until they relocate their units to Savar. The HC also directed the industries secretary to submit a report before it by July 17, stating whether tannery owners have paid the compensation. It also directed the environment secretary to assess the damage done to the Buriganga river because of the tanneries and to submit a report in this regard by July 17.
The HC bench came up with the order in response to a petition filed by the HRPB seeking its directive over the matter.
On June 6, in response to a petition filed by the HRPB, the same HC bench had asked the industries secretary to submit the list of errant tannery owners who were yet to relocate their units to Savar. The industries secretary submitted a list of 155 tanneries. Of those, Reliance Tannery Ltd has since relocated to Savar.
In 2001, the HC in a verdict directed the government to relocate the tanneries from Hazaribagh within two years to save the Buriganga from pollution. Later, it extended the deadline to February 2010.
The HC had extended the February 2010 deadline by another six months. On October 30, 2010, the HC gave tannery owners another six months to relocate their factories to Savar. Following an appeal from tannery owners, the government had also set several deadlines for them to shift their units to Savar. On April 3 this year, on the expiration of an earlier deadline, the government had extended the deadline by another seven days.

 

 

Relocation of Hazaribagh tanneries

HC releases fine order

The High Court (HC) yesterday released its order that had, on June 16, asked 154 tannery owners, who are yet to relocate their ternaries from Hazaribagh to Savar according to its directive, to pay Tk. 50,000 per day each in compensation for damaging the environment. Advocate Manzill Murshid, counsel for the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), told The Independent that he has received the certified copy of the High Court order that had ordered the tannery owners to pay TK 50 thousand per day each in compensation for damaging the environment. The tannery owners have to pay the fine from tomorrow (Friday), if they are not shifted their tanneries from Hazaribagh to Savar, he added. Md Shakawat Ullah, general secretary of Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA), however, told The Independent that they are yet to receive the copy of the High Court order. After receiving the certified copy of the HC order, we will file appeal with the Supreme Court against the HC order, he added. In an order, the HC bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice AKM Shahidul Huq ordered 154 tannery owners to pay Tk. 50,000 per day each in compensation for damaging the environment. It asked the tannery owners to keep depositing the money to the government fund until they relocate their units to Savar. The HC also directed the industries secretary to submit a report before it by July 17, stating whether tannery owners have paid the compensation. It also directed the environment secretary to assess the damage done to the Buriganga river because of the tanneries and to submit a report in this regard by July 17. The HC bench came up with the order in response to a petition filed by the HRPB seeking its directive over the matter. On June 6, in response to a petition filed by the HRPB, the same HC bench had asked the industries secretary to submit the list of errant tannery owners who were yet to relocate their units to Savar. The industries secretary submitted a list of 155 tanneries. Of those, Reliance Tannery Ltd has since relocated to Savar. In 2001, the HC in a verdict directed the government to relocate the tanneries from Hazaribagh within two years to save the Buriganga from pollution. Later, it extended the deadline to February 2010. The HC had extended the February 2010 deadline by another six months. On October 30, 2010, the HC gave tannery owners another six months to relocate their factories to Savar. Following an appeal from tannery owners, the government had also set several deadlines for them to shift their units to Savar. On April 3 this year, on the expiration of an earlier deadline, the government had extended the deadline by another seven days.