The High Court has directed the authorities concerned to submit a list of all auto rice mills involved with producing Miniket and Najirshail by polishing coarse rice.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir passed the order on Sunday, in response to a writ petition filed by The Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB).
The HC bench also asked authorities concerned to submit the list within the next four months.
The lawyer for the writ petition, Advocate Manzill Murshid, confirmed the matter to The Business Post.
In the rule, the HC bench asked that if health risks increased due to the consumption of the shredded rice, then why inactiveness of the authorities concerned should not be declared illegal and why order will not be given to stop such activities.
The rule also asked the respondents to reply to the rule within the next three weeks.
The HC bench also said why the court should not issue an order to formulate a guideline to stop the marketing of such tampered rice in the country.
The cabinet; Principal Secretary at Prime Minister’s office; Secretaries of Home, Health, Food, Agriculture, and Commerce ministries, Director General of the Department of Environment, RAB, Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI), BRRI, BARI, Deputy commissioners and superintendent of police of seven districts, and president and secretary of Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mill Owners' Association have been made the respondent in the petition.
