Hand over returning expats to law enforcers for quarantine: High Court

The High Court on Thursday directed the authorities concerned to make sure that all returning expatriates are put in the custody of law enforcers who will make sure that they are quarantined to prevent the spread of coronavirus. 

The court ordered the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism to implement the directive with immediate effect.

A High Court bench of Justice Mujibur Rahman Miah and Justice Mohiuddin Shamim gave the order based on a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Eunus Ali Akond on Sunday (March 15).

In response to the writ petition, the court ordered the public administration ministry to ask deputy commissioners (DCs) across the country to strictly monitor and ensure that people returning from abroad abide by the government's home quarantine rules for 14 days.

It ordered the government to test the people returning to the country and to give proper treatment to coronavirus patients.

Yesterday Eunus Ali Akond himself argued in favour of the petition and Barrister Khandaker Reza-E Rakib appeared as an amicus curiae (friend of court), while Deputy Attorney general Nouroj M R Chowdhury was the state counsel.  

On March 15, Eunus Ali Akond filed the writ petition at the High Court seeking directives on the government to close all educational institutions in the wake of the of the novel coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The writ also appealed to the court to order the authorities concerned to close all land, sea and airports across the country to prevent the spread of the disease.

The petitioner also asked court to order the authorities concerned to hand over all overseas returnees to law enforcing agencies to keep them in quarantine to prevent spread of corona-virus.

The home secretary, health secretary, education secretary and foreign secretary were made respondents in the writ.