Cox’s Bazar Beach
SC clears way for eviction
The Supreme Court yesterday cleared the way for demolishing all the structures on Cox’s Bazar sea beach.
The seven-member Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque upheld the High Court order that declared legal the deputy commissioner’s (DC) The apex court also dismissed four leave-to-appeal petitions against the HC order. The petitions were filed by the owners of some structures including a few hotels and restaurants set up on the beach.
The HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain on January 10 directed the government to remove all permanent and temporary structures from the beach to keep its natural beauty intact.
The bench passed the order following a public interest litigation filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB). The petition was filed following a report published in The Daily Star on January 5.
The DC of Cox’s Bazar on January 12 served a notice on the owners to remove their structures from the beach within a week.
Four owners — Nowshad Karim, Rabiul Islam, Ferdous Akhter and Mujibul Islam — filed four writ petitions with the HC bench headed by Justice Miftah Uddin Choudhury challenging the notice. The bench on January 17 temporarily stayed the notice.
The land ministry then filed four writ petitions with the HC bench headed by Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik seeking to vacate the order.
After the hearing, the bench on February 15 vacated the order passed by Justice Miftah Uddin Chowdhury.
Subsequently, the owners filed separate leave to appeal petitions with the SC for staying the February 15 HC order that ordered them to demolish their structures.
Advocate Manzill Murhsid, the counsel for HRPB and land ministry, told The Daily Star that there is no legal bar to knock down the structures following the SC order.
Barrister Kamal-ul Alam, advocate Abdul Matin Khasru, and advocate AM Amin Uddin appeared for the owners of structures.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
