The High Court on Sunday directed the government to ensure status quo on the earth filling and encroachment in the water bodies and khash land by 24 housing companies in Kaliganj Upazila in north side of Purbachal new town.
The court also directed the authorities to submit a report after complying with the order in two months.
The HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) seeking embargo on earth filling in low lands, ponds and marshy lands.
The petitioner’s lawyer Advocate Manzil Morshed told reporters that the housing companies cannot encroach and subsequently degrade the environment near Purbachal new town following the High Court order.
The housing companies are United Purbchal Lands Limited, AG Property Ltd, Navana Real Estate Ltd, Biswas Builders Ltd, Nilachal Housing Ltd, Bagan Bilas, Rupayan
Lands Ltd, Adrsha Ideal Ltd, Tepantor Housing Ltd, The Metropolitan Christian Cooperative Ltd, Gramp International Ltd, North South Ltd, Monjil Housing and Development Ltd, Sikder Royal City Ltd, Kopotakhya Green City, Devine Holding Ltd, Shotabdi Housing Ltd, swarno chhaya Real Estate Ltd,Vision 21 Design and Development Ltd, Ocean Heaven Ltd, SFL Chandrima Ltd, and Fair Deal Shipping Ltd.
HC has ashed the Gazipur deputy commissioner and the police superintendent and Kaliganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer and OC to submit the report within two months, said the lawyer Monjil Morshed.
On October 21, HRPB filed a writ challenging the inability of the defendants to stop the filling of ponds, low land filling and possession of signage of different companies of Purbachal New Town project in Kaliganj of Gazipur and Rupganj thana of Narayanganj.
On 12 November last year, the same bench of the High Court gave a rule to its primary hearing. At the same time, Purbachal ordered to keep the status quo on the 16 projects of the housing company of Kaliganj of Gazipur and Rupganj thana of Narayanganj, and the status quo on land acquisition and filling activities. In the continuation of the supplementary application HRPB, sources said.
