BGMEA bldg demolition order stayed

The Supreme Court chamber judge has stayed for six weeks the High Court order on demolition of the BGMEA Bhaban at Karwan Bazar, reports bdnews24.com. Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the stay order on Tuesday. The High Court on Sunday ordered the demolition of the BGMEA building as it was constructed in violation of the Wetlands Protection Act. In its rule, the High Court said the building was hindering the water flow of Begunbari canal and hampering Hatirjheel project. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) was asked to vacate the high-rise building within 90 days on receipt of the certified copy of the judgment and then start pulling it down at its own cost. The court ordered the deputy commissioner (DC) of Dhaka and the inspector general of police (IGP) to investigate how the building was constructed violating the existing rules and acts. About the floors of the building that were sold or handed over to various investors on lease, the court observed that the investors should have thought before investing in an illegal project. The Department of Environment was asked to take steps against those who had violated the Wetlands Protection Act and constructed the building. RAJUK (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha) had long been saying the BGMEA building was not constructed according to the Rajuk approved design. Various environmental organisations have also been demanding demolition of the building. Following a special report on the illegally built building, the High Court issued a rule on October 3, 2010 asking the government to explain as to why the structure would not be pulled down. The BGMEA decided to build its headquarters on one side of the Begunbari Canal beside Sonargaon Hotel in 1998. The garment factory owners' association had bought the piece of land from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) at a cost of Tk 51.7 million with government approval. The construction began on Nov 28 the same year. According to allegations, the building was not constructed as per city development law of 1953. Allegations also have it that the garment factory owners' headquarters violated the building construction law of 1952 because Dhaka's real estate regulator, RAJUK, had not approved the building's design.