The High Court has ordered a judicial inquiry into allegations that hilsa worth about a crore of taka, bought by fish traders in Charfasson, Bhola, went missing after being seized. The inquiry committee has been told to submit its report within 30 days.

A bench of Justice Khijir Ahmed Choudhury and Justice Md Ziaul Haque issued the order, along with a rule, on Monday (22 June) after a preliminary hearing of a writ petition filed by 10 traders.

Confirming the order, lawyer Mohammad Siddique Ullah Mia said the court had asked for the inquiry committee to be formed with a judge not below the rank of additional district judge.

Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Siddique Ullah Mia argued for the petitioners, assisted by Supreme Court lawyers Md Monirul Islam Mia, Roknuzzaman and Morshedul Islam. Deputy Attorney General Md Faruk Hossain represented the state.

The writ was filed with a report headlined "Seized hilsa vanishes in Bhola", published in a national daily, attached. The report said hilsa worth about a crore of taka, legally bought by traders in Charfasson, was seized on its way to Dhaka. Most of the fish was then allegedly looted, in the name of distributing some of it to madrasas and orphanages.

The lawyer said the High Court issued a rule against the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Coast Guard and the Department of Fisheries over allegations that more than 10,000 kg of hilsa was unlawfully seized despite a valid permit and then made to disappear without any court order. It also ordered a judicial inquiry led by an additional district judge to establish the facts.

The court directed the order at the respondents: the home affairs secretary, the director general of the Coast Guard and the director general of the Department of Fisheries. They have been asked to show cause, within a set time, why legal action should not be taken over the unlawful and unauthorised seizure of the hilsa and its disposal without a seizure list.

A judicial inquiry committee will be formed under an additional district and sessions judge. It will identify the specific reasons and those responsible for how the large consignment was misappropriated or disposed of in breach of legal procedure after it was seized. The committee has been told to finish quickly and submit its report to the court in a sealed envelope within 30 days.

According to the case details, on 12 May 10,140 kg of hilsa, with an estimated market value of Tk 94,02,784, was unlawfully seized despite the petitioners holding valid transport permits. The consignment was allegedly later made to disappear or disposed of without any formal seizure list or judicial order from the Coast Guard or others involved.

The writ petition says the petitioners suffered severe financial loss and mental distress because of the respondents' unlawful and arbitrary actions. It seeks compensation of Tk 1,12,83,340 in total, covering the value of the hilsa plus 20 per cent interest. After the preliminary hearing the court issued the rule and ordered the judicial inquiry.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.