The High Court yesterday issued arrest warrants against three tannery owners for not implementing its 2001 judgment on relocation of the factories from the capital's Hazaribagh to Savar and for not appearing before it despite summons.

The contemnors are Abdul Wadud Mia of Mahin Tannery, Abdul Wahab of Nabipur Tannery and Mafiz Mia of Asia Tannery.

After hearing a contempt petition, the HC bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice AKM Shahidul Huq issued the warrants.

The court on March 23 summoned 10 tanners, including the three, directing them to appear before it yesterday for obstructing the implementation of its 2001 judgment on relocation of the tanneries.

Yesterday, the HC also kept three of them -- Mahbubur Rahman Panna of Pubali Tanneries, Giasuddin Ahmed Pathan of Rumi Leather Industries Ltd, and Akbar Hossain of Paramount Tannery -- in its custody for over five hours since 11am for not implementing the court's directives and not replying to its rule.

The three were ordered to reappear before the court today and explain what steps have taken to relocate the tanneries to Savar, petitioner's counsel Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star.

Wadud, Wahab and Mafiz did not appear before the court yesterday despite summons issued earlier, he said.

Another defendant Arefin Shamsul Al Amin, managing director of Rana Leather Industries Ltd, is currently abroad and has been ordered to appear before the court on May 3.

The HC had issued summons against three more tanners -- Rezaul Karim Ansary of Karim Leather Ltd, Abdus Salam of Salam Tannery and Sayedul Haque Master of Jullet Enterprise -- but they have died, Manzill added.

In the 2001 verdict, the HC directed the government to ensure relocation of the tanneries within two years to save the Buriganga river from pollution.

As the government did not implement the orders, the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) filed a petition with the court in June 2009.

Following this, the HC asked the government to execute its directives by February 28, 2010. The deadline was later extended by six months.

As nothing happened even then, the court in October 2010 gave the tannery owners six more months to relocate their factories to Savar.

But the owners still did not shift their factories, which was an obstruction to the implementation of the HC verdict, said Manzill.

The industries secretary in August last year informed the HC that the government had issued notices to all tannery owners for relocation but they had not made any preparation to move to Savar.

It was the secretary who gave the HC a list of 10 tanners, made respondents to a rule on August 11 last year.

The HC asked them to explain why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against them for creating obstruction to the implementation of its 2001 judgment, Manzill added.