Stop killing dolphins in Halda, High Court orders in first virtual hearing
The environment department has been directed to execute the order within the next 72 hours and send the report to the court through an email
The High Court has asked the director of the environment department in Chattogram to take necessary measures to stop the killing of dolphins in the Halda River.
The department has been directed to execute the order within the next 72 hours and send the report to the court through an email.
The single-member bench of Justice Obaidul Hasan passed the order during a virtual hearing yesterday. It is the first order from any virtual bench of the High Court.
Barrister Abdul Qayum Liton placed his deposition on behalf of the writ petitioner through video conference while Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder gave his statement on behalf of the state.
In the order, the judge asked the authorities to explain why their failure to take necessary measures to stop the killings of dolphins in the Halda River would not be declared illegal.
Barrister Qayum on Monday filed the writ petition as a public interest litigation. He attached the newspaper reports on dolphin killings with the petition.
The fisheries and environment secretaries have been made respondents in the petition.
The petitioner said the Wildlife (Preservation and Security) Act, 2012 strictly forbids such killings. This is an offence. A group of unscrupulous people is carrying out cruel practice against innocent and harmless animals.
The petition, referring to newspaper reports, said that another dolphin was cruelly killed on Friday.
The body of the dolphin was found on a char (river island) in Raojan upazila. It was five feet two inches in length and 52 kilogram in weight. A dolphin was also killed earlier on March 21. It was the 23rd such killing.
