DHAKA: The High Court on Monday asked authorities concerned to form an expert committee for stopping use of chemical or hormone in cattle fattening.

A vacation bench of Justice Sheikh Hasan Arif and Justice Mohamamd Ullah passed the order in response to a writ petition.

Apart form the order, the court also issued a rule upon the government to explain within six weeks why the inactiveness of authorities concerned in stopping excess use of different medicines in cattle fattening medicines should not be declared illegal.

The HC also asked to know why an order should not be passed to take necessary steps in stopping the illegal medicines.

The court also asked home, health, food, commerce and fisheries and livestock secretaries to form seven-member committee within eight weeks.

The members will include heath experts, professor, physicians, nutritionists, veterinary surgeons and higher government officials.

Lawyer Monjil Morshed said the committee has to submit its recommendations before the higher court in next eight weeks.

Home, health, food, commerce and fisheries and livestock secretaries, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) director general, Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, Department of Livestock Services and its director general were made respondents of the rule.

Earlier on September 22, a writ was filed asking for the direction from the HC to appoint veterinary surgeons to examine the health of cattle at the animal markets in city.

Day after the writ, livestock ministry declared the appointment of veterinary surgeons at every sacrificial animal market in district and upazila levels.

Advocate Monjil Morshed claimed that some of the farmers purchase unhealthy cattle in lower price and later, they use illegal medicines and hormones to fatten the cattle for selling in a higher price.

BDST: 1545 HRS, SEP 29, 2014