A writ petition was filed with the High Court yesterday seeking its directive on the government to formulate a law incorporating a provision of death penalty for using formalin and other poisonous chemical in food items.

Supreme Court lawyer Eunus Ali Akond, who submitted the petition, also urged the HC to direct the government to table a bill named "Formalin Control Act" in the next parliament

session scheduled to begin on Thursday.

Akond filed the petition as a public interest litigation following several news items published in different dailies including The Daily Star.

The petitioner also urged the court to order the government to take effective measure against those who use poisonous and life threatening chemicals in fruits, sweets, meat, fish,

vegetables and other products which cause liver and kidney diseases.

In the petition, he said dishonest traders and businessmen use formalin, carbide, burnt mobil, sulfur dioxide and poisonous colour in the food items and other products, but they are not punished due to lack of specific law.

The HC may hold the hearing on the petition today, said Akond.