DHAKA: The High Court Thursday issued a rule asking the government to explain why not it be directed to establish a separate Ministry and make sufficient budgetary allocation for population control.

An HC bench comprising Justices Syed Mahmud Hossain and Gobinda Chandra Thakur passed the orders following a writ petition filed by four Supreme Court lawyers, in the wake of reports that country’s population still grows out of proportion.

The petitioners are Advocate Manzil Morshed, Advocate Sarwar Ahad Chowdhury, Advocate Asaduzzaman Siddiqi and Advocate Tapan Kumar Das.

Secretaries of the Cabinet Division, Prime Minister’s Office, Law, Planning, Labour and Employment, Social Welfare, Primary and Mass Education, Religious Affairs, Women and Children, and Defense Ministries and the Director General of the Family Planning Department were made respondents to show cause within four weeks.

The court also directed the Health and Planning Secretary to submit a report within a month to the court on the population growth rate in village and urban areas in last 10 years and the amounts of budgetary allocation to control population.

It also asked the government to give a report on “how the local and international NGOs have been working for controlling population growth”.

The court fixed September 26 for next hearing.

Barrister Moksedul Islam was on behalf of the petitioners during the hearing.

BDST: 1940 HRS, AUG 12, 2010