The High Court yesterday summoned 10 tannery owners to appear in person before it on April 10 to explain their position on not implementing its earlier order for shifting their tanneries from Hazaribagh to Savar. In response to a contempt of court petition filed by the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), the HC bench comprising Justice Syed Mohammad Dastogir Hossain and Justice AKM Shahidul Haque came up with the order. The owners summoned are Arefin Shamsul Al Amin, Managing Director of Rana Labour of Industries Limited; Sayedul Haque Master, Proprietor of M/S Julet Enterprise; Mahbubur Rahman Panna, Proprietor of M/S Pubali Tanneries; Giasuddin Ahmed Pathan, Managing Director of Rumi Leather Industries Limited; Abdus Salam, Proprietor of M/S Salam Tannery; Rezaul Karim Ansary, Proprietor of Karim Lather Limited; Abdul Wadud Mia, Proprietor of M/S Mahim Tannery; Abdul Wahab, Proprietor of M/S Nabipun Tannery; Mofiz Mia, Proprietor of M/S Asia Tannery and Akbar Hossain, Managing Director of M/S Paramount Tannery. Earlier, on August 11 last year, in response to a contempt petition filed by HRPB, the HC had issued a rule asking the 10 tannery owners to explain in two weeks why contempt of court proceedings should not be brought against them for creating obstruction in implementation of its 2001 judgement. Despite the HC rule, the tannery owners are yet to shift their industries. Hence, another contempt petition was filed on March 21 seeking personal appearance of the tannery owners. Advocate Manzil Murshid, counsel for the petitioner, told reporters that in 2011, the HC directed the government to relocate the tanneries located in Hazaribagh to Savar within two years. Earlier, in 2009, the HC had directed the government to relocate the tanneries from Hazaribagh to save the Buriganga river from pollution by February 2010. The same court later extended the deadline for six months. But the government could not implement the directives as the tannery owners did not shift their tanneries, which is a contempt of court, Manzil said. Lawyer Manzil said that the Industries Secretary informed the court about the tannery owners’ unwillingness to shift their tanneries though the government has been working in this regard. The Industries Secretary has provided the names of 10 owners who are responsible for creating obstructions to the High Court directive.
