Dhaka – Chamber Judge Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday passed an order allowing the customs authorities to conduct searches at the jewellery shops in the country for finding whether the jewellery were imported legally or not.The Chamber Judge stayed a High Court order that directed the customs authorities not to conduct search at the jewellery shops without following the due process of law. The High Court had also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why they should not be directed to formulate a policy on the import and export of jewellery.
Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain gave the order and the rule after hearing on a leave to appeal petition filed by the government against the High Court order.
The Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division also sent the leave to appeal petition to the full bench of the Appellate Division for its hearing on October 12 after the government filed the petition before the court yesterday.
Deputy Attorney General SM Moniruzzaman told newsmen that now there is no legal bar for the customs authorities to conduct search at the jewellery shops to find whether the jewellery was imported legally or not.
Bangladesh Jewellery Samity (Association) filed the writ petition with the High Court while the court on June 8 directed the customs authorities not to conduct search at the jewellery shops without due process of law and also asked the National Board of Revenue to dispose off their application for formulating a policy on the import and export of jewellery within a month. – Special Correspondent
