The High Court on Monday imposed a ban on all activities including soil filling, and plot sale for the unauthorized housing project of Uttaran Properties Limited and Achieve Corporation in Gozairar Beel of Isharkandi, Manosantosh, and Satishkandi villages identified as main flood flow zone areas under detained area plan (DAP) in Yarpur union under Savar upazila of Dhaka District.
At the same time, the chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), the Director General of the Directorate of Environment (DOE) and the Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka District have been directed to submit a report to the court containing the compliance of the mentioned instructions given by the court.
In addition, the court issued a rule asking the authorities concerned why the failure of defendants seeking should not be declared illegal, unlawful, and against the public interest as it is contrary to the prevailing laws in the country.
It also sought explanations from the defendants why the order for the restoration and protection of the main flood flow area mentioned in the rule will not be given as per law, rules, and plans.
After the preliminary hearing of a public interest case filed by the Bangladesh Environmental Law Association (Bela), the division bench of the High Court comprising Justice Mostafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah passed the order.
It is to be noted that there is a bill of about 600 acres in Isharkandi, Manosantosh, and Satishkandi Mouza of Yarpur union in Savar upazila under Dhaka District which is locally known as “Gozairar Beel”.
The bill is about 10 km in length and four km in width.
The area is identified as a main flood zone area in the Rajuk’s Detailed Area Plan (DAP).
Meanwhile, Uttaran Properties Ltd and Achieve Corporation have erected company signboards on about 250 bighas and 220 bighas of fertile land respectively in the areas of the beel, none of which have valid approval from the concerned authorities.
Bela filed the case against two housing projects in violation of the existing law on the protection of water bodies and without the approval of the concerned authorities.
Advocate Mohammad Ashraf Ali, Bar-at-Law, argued the case for Bela and was assisted by Advocate S Hasanul Banna.
Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy represented the state.