The High Court has asked the government not to allow any industrial unit to be established within 10 kilometers of the Sundarbans.
The HC bench of Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hasan directed the order on Thursday after initial hearing on a petition.
The court also directed the government to present within six months a list of the industries already built in 10 km areas of the Sundarbans.
It also issued a rule seeking explanation as to why the approval of industries and factories within 10 km areas of the forest will not be the violation of the gazette notification of the Environment and Forest Ministry issued in 1999 and why those should not be removed.
The Secretaries of the Environment Ministry, Industries Ministry, Land Ministry, Director General of the Department of Environment, Deputy Commissioner of Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Barguna and police superintendent of Khulna were asked to respond to the rule.