Adulteration of food, land grab rampant in absence of mobile courts

Malpractices like adulteration of food, use of toxic chemicals like formalin to preserve fish and seasonal fruits and illegal occupation of footpaths have increased in recent times due to absence of mobile courts to enforce laws.
Law enforcement agencies, including Rapid Action Battalion, have conveyed to Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in writing about a sudden rise in such malpractices affecting general public and appealed for resuming operation of mobile courts to curb such offences, said an official source.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh has also informed Dhaka City Corporation and Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute of the fact that food adulteration has risen to a ‘dangerous level’ since there is none to check this dangerous malpractice. It has asked for immediate measures to protect the rights of the consumers as adulterated food items have flooded the city markets.
‘We have informed the authorities that malpractices like food adulteration and use of chemicals to preserve seasonal fruits and fish have increased due to absence of mobile courts,’ CAB general secretary Kazi Farook told New Age on Saturday.
He said the association had asked the DCC and BSTI for resuming drives against food adulteration and other malpractices of which the consumers have been the worst victims.
Magistrates of Dhaka metropolitan court, meanwhile, expressed their willingness for conducting mobile courts to curb such offences.
The chief metropolitan magistrate, AKM Enamul Haque, in a recent letter to the registrar of the Supreme Court, sought directives on an emergency basis to permit operation of mobile courts by metropolitan magistrates.
‘The law enforcement agencies, including Rapid Action Battalion, have filed an appeal with chief metropolitan magistrate for conducting drives under metropolitan magistracy against such criminal activities,’ said the letter issued on June 8.
The mobile courts ceased to operate in the city as the Awami League government that assumed office last January is yet to pass the proposed Mobile Court Ordinance 2007, allowing executive magistrates to conduct mobile courts against food adulteration, irregularities in the transport sector, illegal occupation of government land and pollutions, said a senior judicial officer.
He said the judicial magistrates now have the authority for conducting summery trials under the Code of Criminal Procedure after the separation of judiciary.
The Supreme Court in another letter on June 16 sought opinion of the law ministry about operation of mobile courts by metropolitan magistrates to curb crimes, maintain law and order and check food adulteration, said the senior official of the law ministry.
Last week, divisional commissioners from six divisions met with law minister Shafique Ahmed to protest the willingness of the judicial magistrates to operate the mobile courts.
They rather asked for making necessary amendments to the laws allowing executive magistrates to conduct mobile courts.
‘The minister has told the divisional commissioners that the ministry will not approve the proposal of the Supreme Court in this regard,’ said an official, adding that the issue was pending for the law ministry’s decision.

Courtesy of NewAgebd