Dhaka: Mobile phone towers in Bangladesh are emitting a harmful level of radiation, a government report has found.

The Health Ministry submitted a report on the radiation levels of phone towers to the High Court on Wednesday with a directive to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to take necessary measures to lower the degree of radiation.

A High Court bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Salim asked the authorities concerned to submit the report in affidavit on March 28 and directed the BTRC to submit another report on the progress of action on the Health Ministry report.

Advocate Munzil Morshed stood for the writ petitioner, a local environmental group, while Khandaker Reza-e-Rakib represented the BTRC and deputy attorney general Kazi Zinat Haque argued for the state.

Advocate Munzil Morshed said that according to the Health Ministry report the mobile phone towers are emitting high levels of radiation which is injurious to health.

In 2012, environmental group Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh filed a petition before the High Court over the radiation levels of mobile phone towers. It also sought a directive to determine the health risks through the World Health Organisation.

The High Court later asked the authorities concerned to look into the radiation level, health risk and environmental impact caused by the radiation. It also asked the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission to submit a report on radiation level after visiting the mobile phone towers of different companies.

Besides, it issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why the plaintiffs should not be directed to take effective measures to stop emitting radiation from the mobile phone towers.

The HC has fixed March 28 as the date for the next hearing.