The High Court yesterday directed the government to stop the construction of a private building near the home of Nobel Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore. It is considered as an archaeological site, known as Kacharibari, at Shahjadpur in Sirajganj.
The bench, comprising of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Akram Hossain Chowdhury, also asked the authorities to send a compliance report in 4 weeks regarding the stoppage of construction of the building by Yarn Merchant Association.
The court also issued a rule asking the government and the association chairman to explain why they should not be directed to protect the archaeological site by removing the illegal structure.
The bench passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed on August 7 by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, referring to recent newspapers reports that the beauty of the archaeological site was being destroyed by the construction of a five-storey building by Yarn Merchant Association in violation of the law.
The petitioner's lawyer Manzill Murshid said: “Yarn Merchant Association has reportedly raised a five-storey building within 10 feet of Kacharibari. The administration sent several notices since 2009 to stop the construction work. However, they continued constructing the building, ignoring the notices.”