THE High Court on last Thursday directed the government not to allow setting up of any industrial unit within 10 kilometres range of the Sundarbans. The HC Bench consisting of Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hasan passed the order after the primary hearing on a petition. Moreover, the court has also asked the government to submit a list of the industries already built within the 10 kilometres of the Sundarbans within the next six months.
Now with the country’s highest legal authority’s clear directive, rooms for all doubts, confusion and debate should come to an end. Given the sour relationship between the judiciary and the government over the 16th Amendment verdict and its observations, we have witnessed a spree of extreme objections and hateful remarks hurled at the country’s judiciary’s direction. However, we expect the government not to try over-ruling this directive under any circumstances.
The directive also issued a rule – seeking explanation as to why the approval of industries and factories within 10 km areas of the forest will not be the violation of the gazette notification of the Environment and Forest Ministry issued in 1999, and why those should not be removed. The Secretaries of the Environment Ministry, Industries Ministry, Land Ministry, Director General of the Department of Environment, Deputy Commissioner of Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Barguna and Police Superintendent of Khulna have been asked to respond to the rule.
We call for the stated authorities concerned to respond to the rule promptly by logically explaining their respective viewpoints. All institutions of the country – be it public or private – should respect and abide by the law and therefore, remain accountable for their conducts. These state-run ministries and the government officials working under them are expected to respond because for violating a very important gazette notification.
In the past on several occasions, we said that no authority should do anything that may cause irrepairable loss to the bio-diversity of the area and ultimately endanger the very existence of the Sunderbans – the world heritage site.
Lastly, The High Court is the ultimate court of appeal in the Bangladesh judicial system. Additionally, the HC also has the final word on the interpretation and application of all Bangladesh laws, so instead of creating political disruption any further, we expect the government to patiently and respectfully act in the light of the latest directive on the prohibition of setting up heavy and harmful industrial units near the Sudarbans. Let the law of the land follow its own course.
Now with the country’s highest legal authority’s clear directive, rooms for all doubts, confusion and debate should come to an end. Given the sour relationship between the judiciary and the government over the 16th Amendment verdict and its observations, we have witnessed a spree of extreme objections and hateful remarks hurled at the country’s judiciary’s direction. However, we expect the government not to try over-ruling this directive under any circumstances.
The directive also issued a rule – seeking explanation as to why the approval of industries and factories within 10 km areas of the forest will not be the violation of the gazette notification of the Environment and Forest Ministry issued in 1999, and why those should not be removed. The Secretaries of the Environment Ministry, Industries Ministry, Land Ministry, Director General of the Department of Environment, Deputy Commissioner of Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Barguna and Police Superintendent of Khulna have been asked to respond to the rule.
We call for the stated authorities concerned to respond to the rule promptly by logically explaining their respective viewpoints. All institutions of the country – be it public or private – should respect and abide by the law and therefore, remain accountable for their conducts. These state-run ministries and the government officials working under them are expected to respond because for violating a very important gazette notification.
In the past on several occasions, we said that no authority should do anything that may cause irrepairable loss to the bio-diversity of the area and ultimately endanger the very existence of the Sunderbans – the world heritage site.
Lastly, The High Court is the ultimate court of appeal in the Bangladesh judicial system. Additionally, the HC also has the final word on the interpretation and application of all Bangladesh laws, so instead of creating political disruption any further, we expect the government to patiently and respectfully act in the light of the latest directive on the prohibition of setting up heavy and harmful industrial units near the Sudarbans. Let the law of the land follow its own course.
