Khoka urges lawyers to plead for protecting Osmani Udyan
Friday, 4 January 2008
Mayor of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) Sadek Hossain Khoka Thursday drew attention of the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) for necessary step against those again out to grab Osmani Udyan, as environmentalists and various quarters demanded such action, reports UNB.
The mayor also urged lawyers to defend people's demand for protecting the Udyan, one of a few parks for city-dwellers, as there is a move again to turn it into private property.
"Osmani Udyan is the property of the people of the country and nobody can occupy it," he said at an opinion-exchange meeting at Nagar Bhaban, where leaders of Nagorik Sanghati, Nagorik Committee, environment-friendly organisations and officers from government departments concerned were present.
The DCC Mayor said the previous government had backtracked on the decision to establish conference centre for the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) at the Osmani Udyan as various organisations protected the park for the city-dwellers. "Various organisations through their concerted effort preserved the park."
Prominent academics like Prof Serajul Islam Chowdhury and Prof Abdullah Abu Saeed, Architect Dr Nizamuddin, DCC chief executive officer Md Alauddin, DMP police commissioner Naim Ahmed, BELA representative Imran Kabir and Adviser of Nagorik Sanghati Engr Sarder Amin, among others, also spoke on the occasion.
Prof Chowdhury urged all conscious citizens, including the lawyers' community, to discharge their responsibility in this public-interest case. "It's not the matter of law, rather the matter of obligation," he said.
Chowdhury requested the DCC Mayor to inform the ACC about the matter for taking necessary initiative against the persons concerned. "It's a matter of corruption, so the ACC has to be informed."
Criticising the government for failing to protect the state property, the popular university teacher said the state's responsibility was to protect its property. "Why the state-owned property will go under private ownership?" he questioned.
Mentioning the past attempt he said the encroachment on Osmani Udyan began in 2001 and a committee was also formed to investigate the matter. "It's very necessary to find the report of that committee for dealing with the case," he suggested.
Prof Abdullah Abu Saeed observed that people wanted to know how the court gave the verdict keeping one party (DCC) in the dark and ignoring people's interest. "There may be some problems in the court judgement. It's suspicious why the Attorney General was absent from the court that day."
He urged the DCC to take all legal measures to protect the park as all people of the city would support the DCC for this good deed.
There is some 23.14 acres of land allocated for the Osmani Udyan by the government and handed over to the DCC. Monwara Begum filed a case with sub-judge court demanding the ownership of 2.8172 acres.
Later the High Court (HC) gave the verdict in favour of Monwara Begum after examining the documents and ordered the police to help her take possession of the places claimed by her.
The mayor also urged lawyers to defend people's demand for protecting the Udyan, one of a few parks for city-dwellers, as there is a move again to turn it into private property.
"Osmani Udyan is the property of the people of the country and nobody can occupy it," he said at an opinion-exchange meeting at Nagar Bhaban, where leaders of Nagorik Sanghati, Nagorik Committee, environment-friendly organisations and officers from government departments concerned were present.
The DCC Mayor said the previous government had backtracked on the decision to establish conference centre for the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) at the Osmani Udyan as various organisations protected the park for the city-dwellers. "Various organisations through their concerted effort preserved the park."
Prominent academics like Prof Serajul Islam Chowdhury and Prof Abdullah Abu Saeed, Architect Dr Nizamuddin, DCC chief executive officer Md Alauddin, DMP police commissioner Naim Ahmed, BELA representative Imran Kabir and Adviser of Nagorik Sanghati Engr Sarder Amin, among others, also spoke on the occasion.
Prof Chowdhury urged all conscious citizens, including the lawyers' community, to discharge their responsibility in this public-interest case. "It's not the matter of law, rather the matter of obligation," he said.
Chowdhury requested the DCC Mayor to inform the ACC about the matter for taking necessary initiative against the persons concerned. "It's a matter of corruption, so the ACC has to be informed."
Criticising the government for failing to protect the state property, the popular university teacher said the state's responsibility was to protect its property. "Why the state-owned property will go under private ownership?" he questioned.
Mentioning the past attempt he said the encroachment on Osmani Udyan began in 2001 and a committee was also formed to investigate the matter. "It's very necessary to find the report of that committee for dealing with the case," he suggested.
Prof Abdullah Abu Saeed observed that people wanted to know how the court gave the verdict keeping one party (DCC) in the dark and ignoring people's interest. "There may be some problems in the court judgement. It's suspicious why the Attorney General was absent from the court that day."
He urged the DCC to take all legal measures to protect the park as all people of the city would support the DCC for this good deed.
There is some 23.14 acres of land allocated for the Osmani Udyan by the government and handed over to the DCC. Monwara Begum filed a case with sub-judge court demanding the ownership of 2.8172 acres.
Later the High Court (HC) gave the verdict in favour of Monwara Begum after examining the documents and ordered the police to help her take possession of the places claimed by her.