Demolishing BGMEA building: Order on time plea March 27

The Supreme Court has fixed March 27 to deliver its order on the petition filed by the authorities of BGMEA seeking an one year to demolish its headquarters in Hatirjheel, Dhaka. A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain fixed the date on Sunday. Earlier, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) authorities filed the petition seeking an additional one year from the Appellate Division to demolish its headquarters. On March 5, 2017, the Appellate Division rejected the review petition for the verdict for the demolition project. At that time, BGMEA authorities had appealed for a period of three years. Then, on March 12 of the same year, the Appellate Division rejected the appeal and gave them six months’ time instead. Earlier, on April 3, 2011, the High Court ordered the BGMEA to move forward with demolition work. Later, BGMEA authorities filed a leave to appeal against the court verdict. Dismissing the leave to appeal, the Appellate Division declared in favour of the verdict. According to the full verdict of the Appellate Division, the BGMEA has been ordered to demolish the 15-storey building named “BGMEA Complex” which stands on a critical spot in Dhaka, blocking the connection between two large water bodies – Hatirjheel lake and Begunbari canal. If BGMEA would fail to follow through, Rajuk was instructed to take over the work within 90 days of receiving the copy of the verdict. In this case, they would get the cost of the demolition from BGMEA.This article was first published on banglatribune.com