Construction of the elevated expressway at Panthakunja Park, adjacent to Hotel Sonargaon, is ongoing despite a High Court stay and the case not being fully resolved.
On September 10 last year, the High Court bench of Justice Md. Mojibur Rahman Mia and Justice Bishwajit Debnath issued a stay on expressway construction in response to a writ petition and reopened the park to the public. The Supreme Court’s Chamber Judge Court later temporarily upheld that order on September 17. Although further hearings were scheduled multiple times, they did not take place. Meanwhile, construction continues.
A field visit on Sunday morning (January 11) showed excavation work underway around the park, with a crane encircling the site. At least 20 to 25 workers were present, some removing excavated soil, others tying rods for new structures, and several transferring rods brought in by vehicles.
Environmentalists, planners, lawyers, and other experts have expressed deep concern over the ongoing work. “Continuing expressway construction amid environmental degradation is unacceptable,” they said. They accused the government of prioritizing private company interests, with advisers also benefiting, leading to round-the-clock construction.
Day-and-night construction around the park
Construction of the elevated expressway in the Hatirjheel and Panthakunja Park areas had briefly stopped due to the High Court injunction and environmentalist protests. However, the contractor for the Dhaka Elevated Expressway Project resumed work within weeks. Work in the park continues 24 hours a day to complete the project quickly.
Arif Hossain, a worker at Panthakunja Park, told Dhaka Tribune: “We’ve been working here for five months. Work continues day and night. Unlike other sites, we work more at night. If we have day shifts twice a week, the rest of the time we work nights.”
He added that the company instructs workers to operate cautiously during the day, which is why more workers and activity occur at night. About 30–35 workers are on site daily.
Repeated attempts to contact Project Director AHMS Akhtar were unsuccessful. A senior official, wishing to be anonymous, said that while the final ruling is pending, there is no legal obstacle to continuing the work. “This is a government project. Government approval takes precedence over any individual or company. No one can proceed without it,” the official said.
Govt support protects private interests
Anu Muhammad, a former Jahangirnagar University professor and one of the petitioners, told Dhaka Tribune that the work is proceeding with government backing. “This is clearly contempt of court. The government is being stubborn, though a proper solution was possible.
He highlighted that numerous movements, public hearings, and eventually a writ petition were filed to protect the open spaces of Panthakunja Park and the Hatirjheel reservoir. Despite assurances to halt construction, the project continues. He criticized the government for disregarding public opinion and violating laws to protect private sector interests.
Sheikh Muhammad Mehedi Ahsan, vice president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners, said the government’s prioritization of private interests over public opinion is unacceptable. “Ignoring the High Court injunction is unjustifiable. No alternative plans were even considered,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
He added that the ongoing work is causing severe environmental damage, including destruction of the Hatirjheel reservoir, deforestation, and loss of greenery. While many government advisers were previously involved in environmental movements, they are now supervising the work directly.
He urged the interim government to issue a white paper on Dhaka’s declining livability and environmental degradation and adopt realistic measures. He also called for the creation of a separate national commission for spatial planning and sustainable urban development.
Ethical concerns despite lack of direct court contempt
Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, a Supreme Court lawyer representing the petitioners, said the ongoing construction is ethically objectionable, though not direct contempt of court. “A final ruling on the elevated expressway has not yet been delivered. Yet, work was hurriedly started via an interim order from the Chamber Judge Court,” he said.
He noted that the High Court had issued directives to protect Panthakunja Park, but they are not being followed. “Destroying these areas to build an elevated expressway descending into the densely populated Palashi area is not sustainable planning.”
Petitioners seek court intervention
Nine individuals filed the writ petition to halt expressway construction at Panthakunja Park. They include Anu Muhammad, Geeti Ara Nasrin, Adil Muhammad Khan, Samina Lutfa, writer Firoz Ahmed, researcher Pavel Partha, lawyer Mahbubul Alam Tahin, and Bangladesh Tree Preservation Movement coordinators Naeem Ul Hasan and Amirul Rajib.
According to the petitioners, the project has already harmed the environment of Hatirjheel and Panthakunja Park. If construction continues, traffic and environmental conditions in Kathalbagan, Katabon, Nilkhet, Palashi, Dhaka University, and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) will be severely affected.
Naeem Ul Hasan told Dhaka Tribune, “This is a corrupt project forcibly approved by the previous government, without full feasibility studies or environmental clearance. Despite over a year of public protests and expert petitions, why it continues is incomprehensible. With only two months left for the interim government, it is crucial to uncover why they want to proceed with this anti-public project before a full hearing, and whose interests it serves.”
