Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Wednesday declared the Hatirjheel-Begunbari project in the capital as a ‘public trust’ and henceforthe all kinds of commercial establishments including restaurants and shops in the project area to be treated as illegal.
The Hatirjheel-Begunbari project in Dhaka has been declared a public trust (public property) in accordance with the principles of the High Court judgment over Turag River, said the court adding that the all kinds of commercial establishments have to be removed from the area within 60 days.
The High Court Bench of Justice Md Ashraful Kamal and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil delivered the verdict after holding hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard.
The court said, “All kinds of commercial establishments, including hotels, restaurants and shops, have been declared illegal in the Hatirjheel project area and all commercial establishments must be evicted within the next 60 days.” In the judgment the court has formed an authority under the supervision of the Prime Minister to preserve, develop and operate the project and appointed BUET’s Engineering Department and the 24th Brigade of Bangladesh Army as the permanent consultants for the project.
The court said that the supervision authority has to establish underground public toilets and arrange potable water in the project area. The authorities have to arrange separate system for the disabled and a separate lane for bicycle riders.
Besides, a fish sanctuary has to be set up in the lake of the project area, but no commercial facility can be set up there, also read the judgement. Advocate Manzill Murshid appeared in the court on behalf of the writ petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Wayes Al Haruni represented the state and Advocate Md Imam Hasan appeared for the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (RAJUK).
Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha was inactive even when activities of illegal establishments were going on outside the original plan of Hatirjheel.
In this circumstance, Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), a rights organisation, filed a writ petition with the High Court as a public interest litigation annexing a news report published on August 1 in 2018.
After primary hearing on the petition, the High Court on September 10 in 2018 issued a ruling and directed the authorities concerned of the government to demolish and remove structures built beyond the layout plan of the Hatirjheel-Begunbari project in Dhaka within seven days.
In the ruling the court wanted to know from the respondents to explain in four weeks as to why they should not be directed to protect the Hatirjheel-Begunbari project in line with the layout plan.
Housing and Public Works secretary, chief executive officer of Dhaka South City Corporation, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha chairman, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner, OC of Hatirjheel Police Station, and project director of Hatirjheel-Begunbari project were asked to comply with the rule.
Later the High Court passed some more orders over the issue and after final hearing on the ruling the court on Wednesday declared the ruling absolute.
