The High Court today (October 25, 2022) issued a contempt of court rule against seven government officials including the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Khulna for not complying with its earlier order regarding demolishing illegal brick kilns constructed within the boundaries of Bhadra and Hori rivers in the district.

In the rule, the court asked the officials to explain in two weeks why the contempt of court proceedings should not be withdrawn against them for violating its December 14, last year order.

The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo issued the rule following a contempt of court petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), Deputy Attorney General Arobinda Kumar Roy told The Daily Star.

Following a writ petition, the HC on December 14 last year directed the government officials to demolish and evict 14 illegal brick kilns constructed within the boundaries of Bhadra and Hori rivers in Khulna and to submit a compliance report before in 60 days.

The DC of Khulna has earlier submitted a compliance report to the HC, but it has been learnt from the report that most of the illegal brick kilns were not demolished, which amounts to a contempt of court, HRPB's lawyer Manzill Murshid told this correspondent.