Dhaka: The High Court on Tuesday issued a contempt of court rule against the food secretary for not procuring proper formalin detectors in compliance with its earlier directives, reports UNB.

An HC bench comprising Justice Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Zafar Ahmed came up with the rule after hearing a petition.

The food secretary, AM Badrudduja, has been asked to reply within seven days as to why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against him for not complying with the court directives.

Following a writ petition, the High Court on November 24 in 2014 asked the government to procure quality devices to detect formalin in foodstuffs and fruits.

It asked the authorities concerned and the Food Secretary to take necessary steps in procuring the device within 30 days.

On July 13, 2014, Bangladesh Fresh Food Importers’ Association president Sadhan Chandra Das and its secretary Sirajul Islam filed the writ in the form of Public Interest Litigation (PIL).

Supreme Court Lawyer Manzill Murshid who stood for the petitioner sent a legal notice to the food secretary after he failed to collect the formalin detectors in time.

On Monday, Bangladesh Fresh Food Importers’ Association filed a contempt of court petition with the court.