Demolish BIWTA recreation centre in Buriganga

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld a High Court verdict directing Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) to demolish its recreation centre in the Buriganga river in the capital's Kamrangirchar.

The four-member Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha also dismissed BIWTA's appeal against the HC order saying it had earlier ruled that no structures can be built on the river area.

Following a writ petition, the HC had passed the directive on July 29, 2010, saying it must be done in 30 days and that BIWTA must refrain from constructing any structure on the river.

Later, the SC chamber judge, following BIWTA's appeal, issued a status quo on compliance with the HC order.

Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh filed the writ petition on May 2010 as public interest litigation based on a Prothom Alo report.