The High Court has issued a rule asking why the import of meat from abroad should not be declared unlawful when the country already has a surplus production of meat.
It also asked the authorities concerned that why it should not give a directive to ensure the quality and purity of meat.
The HC bench of justices FRM Nazmul Ahasan and KM Kamrul Kader issued the rule after hearing a writ on Wednesday (Dec 18).
Secretaries to the ministries of commerce, fisheries and livestock and religious affairs, director generals of Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institution (BSTI) and department of livestock have been made respondents to the rule.
Last week, lawyer Md Mosabbir Hossain filed the writ seeking order not to open import of cattle meat from abroad.
Advocate Md Kamruzzaman and Nazmul Huda represented the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General M Saiful Alam stood for the state.
Advocate Kamruzzaman, after the hearing, told the media, according to the livestock department the country has demand of 72.94 tonne meat of domestic animals and the country is producing 75.94 tonne meat.
The writ challenges the government decision to import meat from abroad, he said.