The High Court today directed the government to prepare two separate lists -- one regarding products that have already been registered as goods with geographical identification (GI), and another of goods that are still unregistered but fit for the registration nationally and internationally.
The lists will have to be submitted before the court by March 19, it said.
The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government to explain why their inaction to prepare the lists should not be directed illegal.
The HC bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar and Justice Sarder Md Rashed Jahangir issued the order and rule following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Shukla Sarwat Siraj seeking necessary directives on this issue.
She submitted the petition as a public interest litigation to the HC on February 18 challenging the inaction of the authorities to prepare the registered and unregistered GI products of Bangladesh.
Barrister Shukla told that if the GI products' lists are prepared, their heritage and branding will be protected and established nationally and internationally and their costs might be increased upto 30 percent in international markets.
