"Marketing of Crown and Hunter was against the public health and public policy," the court observed while delivering the judgment upon a writ filed by Crown Beverage Limited (CBL) challenging cancellation of registration by Board of Investment (BoI) on March 4.

The court, however, ordered restoration of the CBL registration with direction that it could produce beverage without containing alcohol.

Crown and Hunter contained 0.9 and 4.8 percent alcohol, which is a violation of Pure Food Ordinance.

A division bench comprising Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Justice Abdus Salam Mamun, also made the rule absolute with an observation that the impugned order of the BoI cancelling the CBL registration was not proper.

On March 4, the BoI cancelled registration of the CBL that produced Crown energy drink and Hunter malt beverage, on ground that it did not secure permission from Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institution (BSTI) before going into production.

Barrister Rafique Ul Huq and Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud appeared for the CBL represented by its Managing Director Shamim Islam, while Additional Attorney General A J Mohammad Ali with his deputies Adilur Rahman Khan and Nayema Haider stood for the government.