The Appellate Division of Supreme Court has suspended a High Court order that allowed 15 fishermen to fish at sea, effectively removing the scope for them to use the directive to defy government restrictions.
Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Md Rezaul Hoque passed the order on Saturday, following an application filed by the secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.
Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal confirmed the development, saying the fishermen could no longer rely on the earlier High Court order to fish in violation of the government-imposed ban.
Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Additional Attorney General Arshadur Rouf and Anik R Haque represented the state in court.
According to attorney general, the 15 petitioners hold licences for different types of fishing vessels. They had filed a writ petition alleging that the Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies were harassing them while they went fishing and seizing their fish and nets.
However, the petitioners had not properly brought to the court’s attention that their fishing methods were prohibited under the law, the attorney general said.
After hearing the petition, the High Court issued a rule along with an interim order on 6 July. The order, which was scheduled to remain effective for six months, directed the authorities not to obstruct the petitioners from fishing.
The attorney general said the fishermen had subsequently relied on the High Court directive to continue fishing despite the government’s restrictions during the ongoing hilsa fishing ban.
“They were showing the court order to fish at sea, including catching hilsa,” he said.
Kazal added that the Appellate Division’s latest order removes the opportunity to use the 6 July directive as a basis for fishing in defiance of the government’s ban.
