The High Court has directed the government to bar unauthorised boilers in factories within 60 days as it looks to prevent a repeat of the explosion on July 4 at an apparel plant that killed 13 and injured over 50.

It also ordered the government authorities to inspect boilers in all factories to ensure their registration and renewal as per the Boiler Act, 1923.

In response to a writ petition filed as public interest litigation, the HC asked the authorities to submit a compliance report on its rule by September 30.

It also asked to explain in three weeks why their failure to ensure effective enforcement of applicable laws on workplace safety should not be declared illegal.

The HC said the failure resulted in deaths and injuries to workers from boiler blasts in factories.

It also instructed the authorities why their inaction to formulate appropriate rules and regulations, which has been sought in sections 28 and 29 of the boiler act, should not be declared illegal.

The sections call for rules and regulations on workplace safety such as prevention of accidents caused by defective or expired boilers and on providing appropriate compensation and imposing punishment for use of such boilers. It also asked them to explain why they should not be directed to take immediate and appropriate steps to prevent such workplace accidents and to provide compensation to victims and their families.

The bench of Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir came up with the order on July 10 and the order was released yesterday.

The writ petition was submitted by Justice Watch Foundation on July 9 seeking some directives on authorities concerned over an explosion at an apparel factory of Multifabs Ltd in Gazipur's Kashimpur on July 4.

The blast left 13 workers dead and over 50 others injured.

The directives sought were for ensuring compensation for the victim families, treatment for the injured and bringing to book people responsible for the blast, including the owners.

The petition also sought an order on the authorities to immediately shut boilers after their expiry.

The foundation's Executive Director Advocate Mahfuzur Rahman mentioned in the petition that the boiler act has a provision for imposing a Tk 20,000 fine for keeping expired boilers.

But there is no provision in the law regarding the death and injury of people in boiler explosions, he added.