The High Court yesterday directed the government to evict all illegal structures on the banks of Padma River as well as all fishing fences in the river between Madaripur and Munshiganj within the next 30 days.
The deputy commissioners and superintendents of police in Munshiganj and Madaripur districts have been asked to submit a report of progress before the court by December 13 in compliance with the order.
The bench of Justice Quazi Rezaul-Ul Hoque and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman gave the order while hearing a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Kamruzzaman Kochi.
The writ petition was filed along with a report published in a Bangla daily that illegal structures were being built on the river bank and illegal fences were being set up for fishing, which were damaging the environment and water flow.
Kochi prayed to the court to direct the government for removing the structures and fences and to take action against those responsible.
ABM Altaf Hossain, a counsel for the petitioner, said that after a primary hearing on November 2, the court had issued a ruling asking people involved with the grabbing and fishing to be arrested.
Police arrested three people in this connection and produced them before the court yesterday. The court asked the authorities to file cases against them and evict the establishments within 30 days, Altaf added.