Staff Reporter :
The Supreme Court on Sunday gave another seven months time to Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) to relocate its illegal multi-storied building from Dhaka’s Hatirjheel area.
The apex court said that it was the last chance for BGMEA. The court will not extend the deadline for relocating the BGMEA building.
After hearing a petition filed by BGMEA seeking one year time for relocating its building, a five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by the acting Chief Justice, Md Abdul Wahhab Miah, passed the order.
In the order, the court said it gave seven months’ time to the BGMEA from September 12, Barrister Imtiaz Moinul Islam, a lawyer for BGMEA, told journalists.
On August 23, the garment makers’ platform appealed to the court for the extension of the deadline, said Siddiqur Rahman, President of the BGMEA.
Wahhab Miah is discharging the duties of the Chief Justice in absence of Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha at present. On April 3, 2011, the HC bench of Justice A H M Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Justice Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain declared construction of the BGMEA building illegal. The Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division on April 5, 2011 stayed the HC judgment following a BGMEA petition. Later, the time period was extended several rounds. The HC released the full text of its verdict on March 19, 2013. The BGMEA authorities filed leave to appeal petition on May 21, 2013. After hearing, a four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by the Chief Justice, Surendra Kumar Sinha, rejected the appeal petition filed by the BGMEA on June 2, 2016.
In December 2016, President of the BGMEA filed a petition seeking review of the Supreme Court judgment. The Supreme Court on March 5, 2017 dismissed the petition seeking review of its judgment that upheld the High Court verdict for demolishing the BGMEA complex.
A three-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC headed by the Chief Justice, Surendra Kumar Sinha, passed the order after two days’ hearing.
