HC steps in to stop chemicals use by fruit traders

The High Court yesterday issued a series of directives to different government agencies to take effective measures to stop use of chemicals by dishonest traders for ripening and preserving seasonal fruits.
The court also directed the government to file cases under the Special Powers Act, if necessary, against dishonest traders using chemicals in seasonal fruits.
Upon a public interest writ petition filed by an organisation named Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, a High Court bench comprising Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Md Delwar Hussain yesterday issued the directives. The bench also issued a rule upon the government to explain within three weeks why it should not be directed to take effective measures to protect public health from the harmful effects of chemicals in seasonal fruits.
The court asked the directors general of the Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institution and the Rapid Action Battalion to take steps  to monitor at all times the warehouses and depots of fruits in Dhaka so that the dishonest fruit traders could not use chemicals in  fruits.
The court also asked  both the directors general to inspect the warehouses and fruit depots in Dhaka everyday and take legal action against dishonest traders found guilty of using chemicals.
It directed the commerce, food and home secretaries to form a monitoring committee comprising representatives of their respective ministries to make  recommendations on  how to stop use of chemicals in fruits.
The committee was asked to submit its recommendations to the court within 15 days.
The High Court also directed the chairman of the National Board of Revenue to stop importing chemicals mixed fruits at all entry points across the country. It also asked the NBR chairman to submit a report to the court within 15 days.
The HC asked the deputy inspector general of police of Rajshahi to deploy police force at commercial mango gardens in his area to stop use of chemicals in fruits.
The higher court also issued a rule asking the government to explain why its inaction in the matter should not be declared illegal.
The secretaries of food, commerce and finance, the managing director and the director of BSTI, the Inspector General of Police, the director general of RAB, the chairman of NBR and the police commissioner of Rajshahi have been made respondents to reply to the rule.
Advocate Manzill Murshid, counsel for the petitioner, told the court that some dishonest traders with a malafide intention were using harmful chemicals in fruits for squeezing more profit from the consumers.
He also said that they were using different chemicals, including carbide (calcium, sodium) and formalin, which were harmful for public health.
Thousands of consumers have fallen ill after taking chemical-mixed fruits. “If the harmful practice is not stopped, the lives of people would be at risk,” he said.
 
Courtesy of The Independent