Stop illegal occupation of Dhaka canals
High Court orders DC
STAFF REPORTER
The High Court (HC) yesterday ordered the deputy commissioner of Dhaka to stop illegal occupation of canals in the district. The court also asked the Dhaka district administration to halt those construction and other activities to occupy the canals that were earlier identified by the district administration.
The HC ordered immediate stopping of all construction works around the waterbodies in Dhaka and asked the government to submit a report within two weeks explaining what measures it has taken to reclaim the waterbodies illegally occupied by different individuals and organisations.
In a suo motu move, the HC bench comprising Justice Kazi Rezaul Haque and
Justice Mohammad Ullah came up with the order, following a report published in a national daily under the headline 248 occupiers in Dhakas canals.
The HC bench fixed November 12 for passing further order on the issue.
In its order, the HC bench also issued a rule asking the government to explain why it should not be directed to reclaim the canals illegally occupied by different individuals and organisations.
Secretaries of Cabinet and the home and local government and rural development ministries, inspector general of police (IGP), the managing director of WASA, the chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha, the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, the deputy commissioner of Dhaka, and the superintendent of police in Dhaka have been asked to reply to the rule within four weeks.
In another order, the same HC bench directed the government to stop the construction work at Rupnagor canal in Mirpur area in the city.
The HC also asked the government to submit a report within 15 days explaining what steps it has taken to remove the illegal structures from the Rupnagor canals.
