The High Court has halted controversial projects by 22 real estate companies for filling up water bodies and illegally occupying land near the planned township of Purbachal, reports bdnews24.com.
Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal issued the decision on Sunday after hearing a supplementary petition on the matter.
Lawyer Manzill Murshid represented the petitioners at the hearing. Assistant Attorney General Purabi Saha represented the state.
The court has also ordered the Gazipur deputy commissioner, the superintendent of police, Kaliganj Upazila United Nations Organisation (UNO) and Kaliganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) to present an affidavit of their progress in implementing the court's orders within two months.
The real estate firms affected are United Purbachal Lands, AG Properties, Navana Real Estate, Biswas Builders, Neelachol Housing, Bagan Bilash, Rupayan Lands, Adarsha Ideal, Tepantor Housing, Metropolitan Christian Co-operative Housing, Monjil Housing and Development, Sikder Royal City, Kapotakkha Green City, Divine Holding, Shatabdi Housing, Swarna Chhaya Real Estate, Vision 21 and Development, Ocean Heaven, SFL Chandrima, Grump International, Northsouth Housing and Fair Deal Shipping.
"It's illegal to fill up water bodies such as streams, rivers and lakes. But we have received reports from various sources that these companies have filled up these water bodies without approval and are deceiving people using signboards," Manzill Murshid told reporters after the hearing.
The Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh group had filed a petition with the High Court on November 12 last year challenging the filling-in of low-lying lands and water bodies and land occupation by 16 real estate companies in Narayanganj's Rupganj and Gazipur's Kaliganj.
The High Court heard the petition and then halted the operations of the 16 companies and issued a rule questioning the legality of filling up water bodies and occupying land.
The 16 companies in that decision were Purbachal City, City Cloud, Canada City, Jamidar City, Dreamland, Homeland Purbachal City, Hometown Purbachal City, Pretty Real Estate, Mascot Green City, Pushpita Empire Housing, Nandan City, Bestway City, Malum City, Marine City and Shopan City.
