bdnews24.com :
A High Court bench has ordered steps within 48 hours to stop the construction of buildings encroaching on the Buriganga river at Charmirerbagh in Dhaka’s Farashganj.
The bench of Justices Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and ABM Altaf Hossain gave the order on a writ petition filed by Advocate Asaduzzaman Siddiqui on Monday.
They asked the BIWTA chairman, the director (port and traffic) of the Department of Environment, and the Keraniganj Police Station OC to submit a report within two weeks.
Manzill Murshid represented the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Bishwajit Roy stood for the state.
The court also ordered mobile court trials of those violating the Environment Act and Natural Water Bodies Reservation Act in the area.
The BIWTA chairman, the director general and the director (enforcement) of the Department of Environment have been asked to conduct the drive.
The court also wanted to know why permanent or temporary structures should not be demolished and the filling of the Buriganga at Charmirerbagh halted.
Apart from the above mentioned, the Shipping secretary, the Industries secretary, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner and the Dhaka deputy commissioner have been asked to respond within two weeks.
The writ petition had been filed after the Bengali daily, The Jugantar, on Feb 8 reported that a part of the river was being filled up and buildings were being constructed there.
