Madhumati Model Town must be removed, rules SC

Madhumati Model Town authorities have lost their final legal battle as the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday upheld its earlier order, directing the authorities to restore the wetlands of Savar, where the private company had developed its housing project.

“Dismissed no merit”, the seven-member full bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, ordered after dismissing all five review petitions filed Madhumati Model Town authorities, seeking a review of the apex court’s previous order.

Now, the private housing company has to pay back double to the investors who had bought land in the model town.

Earlier, the apex court ordered the owner of the town to pay back double the registration fee to those who had bought plots in the model town.

After the apex court order, advocate Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers' Association (BELA), said the country’s apex court has delivered a milestone order to control land grabbing and  uncontrolled housing business by declaring illegal the Madhumati Model Town, which was developed by destroying the environment.

"Now, Metro Makers and Developer Limited must remove the Madhumati Model Town in Savar to restore its wetland within six months following the apex court order," she added.

On July 11, 2013, the Appellate Division of the apex court

had released the full text of its 159-page verdict, directing Madhumati Model Town owner Metro Makers and Developer Limited to restore within six months the wetland in Bilamalia and Bailarpur moujas of Savar, where the project was being developed. The apex court gave the verdict to keep the area as a flood-free low zone and protect Dhaka from waterlogging.

 The company had developed the housing project by filling up 550 acres of wetlands, identified as floodplains in the 1997 Dhaka City Master Plan.

 Metro Makers and Developer Limited started working on the Madhumati Model Town housing project without obtaining permission from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) and any clearance certificate from the Department of Environment (D0E).

 In September 2013, Metro Makers and Developer Limited and plot purchasers moved five separate petitions at the SC, seeking a review of its judgment.

 

Madhumati Model Town must be removed, rules SC

Madhumati Model Town authorities have lost their final legal battle as the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday upheld its earlier order, directing the authorities to restore the wetlands of Savar, where the private company had developed its housing project. Dismissed no merit, the seven-member full bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, ordered after dismissing all five review petitions filed Madhumati Model Town authorities, seeking a review of the apex courts previous order. Now, the private housing company has to pay back double to the investors who had bought land in the model town. Earlier, the apex court ordered the owner of the town to pay back double the registration fee to those who had bought plots in the model town. After the apex court order, advocate Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), said the countrys apex court has delivered a milestone order to control land grabbing and uncontrolled housing business by declaring illegal the Madhumati Model Town, which was developed by destroying the environment. Now, Metro Makers and Developer Limited must remove the Madhumati Model Town in Savar to restore its wetland within six months following the apex court order, she added. On July 11, 2013, the Appellate Division of the apex court had released the full text of its 159-page verdict, directing Madhumati Model Town owner Metro Makers and Developer Limited to restore within six months the wetland in Bilamalia and Bailarpur moujas of Savar, where the project was being developed. The apex court gave the verdict to keep the area as a flood-free low zone and protect Dhaka from waterlogging. The company had developed the housing project by filling up 550 acres of wetlands, identified as floodplains in the 1997 Dhaka City Master Plan. Metro Makers and Developer Limited started working on the Madhumati Model Town housing project without obtaining permission from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) and any clearance certificate from the Department of Environment (D0E). In September 2013, Metro Makers and Developer Limited and plot purchasers moved five separate petitions at the SC, seeking a review of its judgment.