Dhaka: The High Court on Thursday issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why their failure to ensure safe food, including fish and meat, for the people should not be declared illegal.

After hearing a supplementary petition, the HC bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil also wanted to know why authorities concerned should not directed to ensure safe food, reports the UNB.

Food and health secretaries, Director General of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), Bangladesh Food Safety Authority and Inspector General of Police and seven others have been made respondents to the rule.

The HC also asked the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority to submit a report by May 5 on its steps to ensure the supply of safe food.

Lawyer ZR Khan Robin stood for the petitioner and deputy attorney general Mukhlesur Rahman represented the state.

He said lawyer Shammi Akhter filed a writ petition on May 27 last over bottled water. She filed the supplementary petition today.