The High Court on Wednesday directed the concerned government bodies to take steps to sell daily essential commodities of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) to people at the upazila level beyond the city corporation and municipalities during the coronavirus pandemic.
Principal secretary to the Prime Minister office, commerce secretary and chairman of the TCB have been
asked to take necessary initiatives within next seven days to this effect.
The court also asked the respondents to submit a written statement in the High Court on June 11 illustrating their steps in this regard and the court fixed same date for passing further order over the issue.
The High Court bench of Justice JBM Hassan passed the order after holding virtual hearing on a writ petition filed on May 31 this year by a rights organization, Law and Life Foundation, seeking necessary directives from the High Court.
Barrister Mohammad Humaun Kabir took part in the hearing for the organization, while Deputy Attorney General Samarendranath Biswas represented the State.
In the hearing, Law and Life Foundation’s lawyer said that the TCB’s daily essentials products are being sold to people in the city corporation and municipality areas at minimum rates and therefore, people at the upazila levels are deprived of TCB’s goods.
After the court order, the lawyer said, “We filed the writ petition as a public interest litigation with the High Court seeking its directives on the authorities concerned of the government to expand the project of selling TCB goods to upazila levels so that the people can purchase the daily essential commodities at minimum rate. The High Court has granted our prayer.”
