The High Court has directed the government to take appropriate actions to stop immediately the production of all types of illegal cigarettes and bidis produced by the banned cigarette factories.
The High Court bench consisting Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order on Monday (December 13, 2021) after hearing a writ petition filed in this connection.
The High Court issued a rule upon the respondents to explain why the manufacturing and trading of all types of tobacco products mainly cigarette and bidis by the illegal cigarette factories should not be declared illegal.
The rule also specified as to why instructions wouldn’t be given to shut down those factories and seized illegally manufactured cigarettes and bidis.
The nine respondents included the health secretary, environment secretary, industries secretary, labor and employment secretary, and home secretary.
The bench further gave instruction to close down the companies until they get permission from the Department of Environment.
There have been several illegal cigarettes and bidis manufacturing factories which are manufacturing cigarettes violating the laws, according to the writ filed in the court.
The illegal factories include Heritage Tobacco and Tara International Tobacco in Kishoreganj, International Tobacco in Chattogram, Beauty Tobacco in Manikganj, Vargo Tobacco in Gazipur, HRS Industries Limited and ALM Tobacco in Kushtia, SD Tobacco Limited in Rangpur, Black Tobacco in Narsingdi and Independent Tobacco in Noakhali.
Parvin Akter, executive director of the Madok Drabya-O-Nesha Birodhi Council (MANOBIK), a voluntary anti-tobacco group, filed the writ petition on December 8.
Lawyer Sheikh Rafiqul Islam and Barrister Sheikh Rubayat Islam appeared in the court on behalf of the writ petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Bepul Bagmar appeared on behalf of the state.
Rubayat said a legal notice was served on September 23.
The writ petition was filed since no steps were taken regarding the notice. The court issued the rules based on that writ petition.