HC asks for list of tanners in 3 weeks

The High Court yesterday directed the industries secretary to submit before it within three weeks the list of names and addresses of the businessmen who are still running their tanneries at Hazaribagh in the capital.

 The HC bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice AKM Shahidul Huq passed the order in response to a petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB).

The organisation submitted the petition on Tuesday, seeking an HC directive on the industries secretary to provide the names and addresses of the people operating their tanneries at Hazaribagh in violation of its judgments.

Petitioner's counsel Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star that many people have reportedly been continuing their tannery business at Hazaribagh although the HC in 2001 and 2009 directed them to relocate the tanneries to Savar by 2010. The court later extended the deadline until 2013.

The tanneries are being run in violation of the HC directive which is tantamount to contempt of court, he said.

Manzill said they would pray to the HC to initiate contempt proceedings against the tannery owners after the industries secretary provides their names and addresses to it.

Following a contempt petition moved by HRPB, the HC bench on April 10 issued arrest warrants for three tannery owners -- Abdul Wadud Mia of Mahin Tannery, Abdul Wahab of Nabipur Tannery, and Mafiz Mia of Asia Tannery -- for failing to comply with the HC directive on relocation of tanneries.

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

The same day, the bench had kept three other tannery owners in custody for over five hours for not implementing the 2001 judgment on relocation of the factories to Savar.

They are Mahbubur Rahman Panna of Pubali Tanneries, Giasuddin Ahmed Pathan of Rumi Leather Industries Ltd, and Akbar Hossain of Paramount Tannery.