HC summons Rajuk, BTCL bosses
The High Court (HC) yesterday summoned the Rajuk chairman and the BTCL managing director to be present at the court on May14 for not removing all the illegal structures on Gulshan Lake in the capital as per its earlier directive.
Chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha chairman and managing director of Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Ltd would have to give their reasons before the court for failing to free the lake completely from encroachers.
The HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik and Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim passed the order after lawyers of Rajuk and BTCL said the task of demolition which was being carried out could not be completed.
Following HC's order in January, Rajuk has evicted the slum dwellers from the lake area but has not taken any steps regarding the buildings standing there, the HC bench said, adding that the court had ordered the removal of all structures from the lake.
Later on April 15, the HC directed Rajuk and BTCL to demolish all the illegal structures on Gulshan Lake within 15 days and asked to turn in a compliance report by May 2.
After a report was published in the daily Prothom Alo, the court issued a suo moto order upon the authorities concerned, including Rajuk's chairman and BTCL managing director, to explain why they should not be directed to protect the lake.
According to the Bengali daily, a dam of over five bighas of land was created across Gulshan Lake, dividing it in the middle. Several tin-shed houses have also been erected along the dam by claiming land ownership.
AKM Saifuddin Ahmed appeared for Rajuk and Raisuddin Ahmed defended BTCL, while Deputy Attorney General ABM Altaf Hossain represented the government.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments