Staff Reporter :
The admissibility hearing on a public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition seeking court directives to undo the illegal occupation of the Dhanmondi playground could not take place as the designated division bench of the High Court felt embarrassed to hear it.
As the petition came up for hearing before the designated HC division bench, presiding Judge Salma Masud Chowdhury declined to hear the matter saying, “We can’t hear it as my junior brother felt embarrassed.”
The counsel for the PIL petitioner, barrister Sara Hossain and Attorney General Mahbubey Alam were present. Now, according to the rules, the writ petition along with its papers will be posted to the Chief Justice (CJ) for order. Later, the CJ will constitute another bench for disposal of the plea.
On April 21, the PIL writ petition was filed by six environmental activists, including former president of Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) Mobassher Hossain and joint secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa) Iqbal Habib.
The petitioners also sought HC directives to stop the ongoing construction of illegal structures and its removal from the Dhanmondi playground and prayed for free public entry into it.
The petitioners also sought HC orders asking the respondents to explain why their failure to comply its earlier two orders in protecting the playground.
The Local Government Secretary, the Housing and Works Secretary, Dhaka South City Corporation, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) chairman, its director (administration), the chief engineer of LGED and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club have been made respondents to the writ petition.
