The High Court on Monday ordered to evict all illegal encroachers from the banks of Chakirposhar beel and to take action against giving lease by showing the open water body as closed.
A division bench of the High Court comprising Justice KM Kamrul Quader and Justice Mohammad Showkat Ali Chowdhury passed the order after hearing of a writ petition filed in the form of public interest by the Bangladesh Environmental Law Association (Bela) to save the beel located in Rajarhat upazila of Kurigram district
The court also imposed a restriction on granting lease and settlement in favour of any person or association of the 283.28 acre beel.
The order of prohibition has been issued to the Divisional Commissioner of Rangpur and Deputy Commissioner of Kurigram.
The High Court also ordered the District Commissioner of Kurigram, the Superintendent of Police and the Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Rajarhat Upazila to evict all the unauthorized occupants in this bill within 2 (two) months.
It also has directed to submit a document in the form of a report on the measures taken by the Divisional Commissioner, Rangpur and District Commissioner, Kurigram regarding the lease of 141.29 acres of land of Chakirposar beel with "Chakirpasar Matsyajibi Sambay Ltd" with the association of fishermen.
In addition to this interim order, the issued a ruling on the respondents seeking to know why the failure to protect the beel from unauthorized occupation, settlement and grant of defective leases should not be declared unconstitutional and unlawful.
In this rule issued by the court, it also sought explanation why an order would not be given to restore the beel, determine the boundary of the bill according to the CS map, evict all the structures and occupants and remove the cross dam built at the place called “Pathanhat” of the beel and restore the normal flow of the beel based on the recommendation of the River Protection Commission.
The court also sought to know why it will not be directed to take necessary action against the officials responsible for granting illegal leases and settlements of the beel.
Defendants have been asked to respond to the rule within the next three months.
Advocate Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Advocate Minhajul Haque Chowdhury stood for the writ on behalf of Bela and they were assisted by Advocate S Hasanul Banna.
