Oxygen cylinder price should be fixed as soon as possible: Appellate Division

Appellate Division Chamber Court on Tuesday upheld the High Court order to fix a reasonable price for oxygen cylinders in order to control the price amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

The lawyers concerned said that the Ministry of Commerce and Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) and other authorities concerned have to implement the High Court order within the shortest possible time.  

On Monday, The High Court gave an order with 10 directives to the government that includes fixing the cylinder price, after three writs seeking the directives were filed at the court. 

After an application from the state seeking a halt to the order was filed, the virtual chamber court of Justice Nuruzzaman upheld three of the 10 directives of the High Court order today. 

Fixing cylinder price is one of those three. 

The High Court, on Monday, also asked the authorities concerned to quickly come up with a reasonable price for oxygen cylinders and re-filling cost. 

The High Court also said in the order that retailers have to clearly display the fixed prices in their shops or organisations.  

The order also mentioned that the authorities can consider stopping the sale of oxygen cylinders without a prescription in order to avoid any artificial crisis that may emerge. 

The court also ordered the Ministry of Commerce and the DNCRP to monitor the supply and sale of oxygen cylinders. 

"The High Court order did not fix a specific timeframe for the Ministry of Commerce, DNCRP and other authorities to fix oxygen cylinder prices," Jamiul Huq Faisal, the lawyer who filed one of the writs told The Business Standard.

However, the court tell them to take action regarding this in the soonest time possible, he added. 

"We will take it to the court again if the orders don't get implemented within a week," Jamiul Huq Faisal further said. 

Meanwhile, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said that the High Court order has been sent to the concerned divisions of the government. They will implement it as soon as possible.