The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) to maintain the status quo on the eviction process of the residents of the Harijan community in Mironjilla Colony near Aga Sadek Road of Bangshal in Old Dhaka.
A five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan passed the order following a petition filed by three Supreme Court lawyers Manoj Kumar Bhowmik, Uppal Biswas and Ainunnahar Siddiqua.
The apex court order has been verbally communicated to the DSCC Executive Magistrate Md Moniruzzaman, according to BLAST (Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust).
Harijan community attacked in Bangshal, 15 injuredPetitioners' lawyer Barrister Aneek R Haque said that following a writ petition filed by his clients, the High Court on June 13 issued a one-month status quo on the eviction proceedings at the colony and ordered the DSCC to arrange accommodation for the affected residents.
The DSCC filed a leave to appeal petition with the Appellate Division challenging the High Court order.
The apex court is scheduled to hold hearing on the DSCC's petition on Thursday.
High Court issues 30-day status quo on eviction of Harijan communityDespite the HC's status quo order and pendency of the appeal, DSCC on July 9 issued a fresh order to its chief executive officer and the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police for conducting an eviction proceedings and deployment of police force there on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Harijan community people who came here from Telugu in India during the British era have been residing in the colony for several hundred years.
Besides, 500 families are living in the Mironjilla Sweeper colony. The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) said 66 among them will be rehabilitated as they are staff of the City Corporation.
A plan was taken to build a multi-storey building and a kitchen market after evicting the rest of the community.
