Dhaka: The High Court on Tuesday ordered the authorities concerned to shut the factories that use tannery waste for making poultry feed.

The court also sought legal steps against these factories and submission of a report within one month in this regard.

A bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal passed the order after hearing an appeal, reports the UNB.

Manzil Murshid, who moved the petition, said on July 21 in 2011, said the High Court passed the same order for closing factories that use tannery waste for making poultry feed but the order was not executed.

Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh brought the matter to notice of the court after a report was published in a daily newspaper titled “Use of poisonous poultry waste for fish and poultry feed ignoring HC directive continues.”

The court also issued a rule seeking explanation as to why show-cause notice would not be issued for contempt of court against the respondents within April 9 as they failed to execute the HC order.

Secretaries to Industries Ministry, Commerce Ministry, Food Ministry, Health and Family Welfare Ministry, of Fisheries and Livestock Ministry and Inspector general of Police were asked to respond to the rule within four weeks.

According to the newspaper report, poisonous chemicals of tannery waste are entering human body through fish and poultry and causing various diseases, including cancer.