DHAKA: The High Court Sunday asked the government to explain within three weeks why it should not be directed to remove a salt industry built on the Buriganga riverbank in the city’s Lalbagh area in defiance of prohibition.

A division bench comprising Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Justice Delwar Hossain issued the rule in response to a petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), an environmentalist group.

The petition was filed being inspired by a report published in a daily on May 4 stating that a salt mill has been set up on the river Buriganga in defiance of the HC directive.

Industries secretary, chairman, director, chief engineer, director (planning) and executive engineer of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), deputy commissioner of Dhaka and OC of Lalbagh Police Station have been made respondents to the show-cause notice.

The court also asked the OC of Lalbagh to submit “detailed information about the salt factory and its owner within the next seven days.

According to the petition, the salt industry was set up on the river although the HC in a verdict earlier had directed the government to remove all structures, bar those established by the government for public service, from four rivers -- Buriganga, Balu, Turag and Sitalakhya.

“Setting up the factories on the Buriganga is a violation of the High Court judgment,” the court says in its ruling.

BDST: 1750 HRS, May 30, 2010

JA/MR/SMS/MUA