High Court orders to take steps to stop smoking in public places

The High Court has directed the concerned authorities to take effective action as per the law to stop smoking and defecation and spitting and coughing in public places. The High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Mahbub Ul Islam passed the order on Sunday.

Advocate Md. Golam Rahman Bhuiyan passed the hearing on behalf of the writ in the court. On the other hand, Assistant Attorney General Abul Kalam Khan Dawood was the prosecutor.

On March 11, the Chairman of Human Rights and Social Development Organization, Advocate Md. Golam Rahman Bhuiyan wrote this writ for public interest. The writ seeks directions for the implementation of existing Police Ordinance Act to ban smoking and open defecation in public places. The petition also requested for the formulation of anti-spitting and expectoration law and code.

In the writ filed in the High Court, the health secretary, the local government secretary, all the city corporations of the country and the related parties were made defendants.