The Supreme Court's Appellate Division yesterday stayed a January 5 High Court order which had halted for three months the industries ministry's decision of December 20, 2015 allowing the Association of Ship Recycling in Bangladesh (ASRB) to import and recycle ships.

There is no legal bar on ASRB's business following the SC order, the trade body's counsel AM Amin Uddin told The Daily Star.

A four-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order following an ASRB petition.

Bangladesh Ship Breakers Association (BSBA), another trade body, had filed a writ petition with the HC challenging the legality of the ministry's decision.

Apart from staying the ministry's decision, the HC had issued a rule asking the government to explain why the decision to allow ASRB to run business should not be declared illegal.

BSBA's lawyer Syed Mamun Mahbub said he would discuss with his client on whether they would move for a quick hearing of the HC rule.