High Court sets 3-month deadline to free Karnaphuli from encroachers
The court has fixed May 12 for the next follow-up hearing to know updates
The High Court on Tuesday issued a three-month deadline to the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) for removing illegal establishments on banks of the Karnaphuli River in the port area.
The High Court also directed the authorities concerned to disconnect water, gas and electric connections before the eviction drives.
Other agencies including the law enforcers are also directed to assist during the evacuation.
Following a High Court summon, issued on January 5 this year, CPA's Chairman Rear Admiral Zulfiqur Aziz appeared before the bench of Justice Ashfakul Islam and Justice Mohammad Alli on Tuesday.
After the hearing, the High Court passed the order with a deadline of three months to remove all the illegal structures on the Karnaphuli River banks.
Additional Attorney General Murad Reza and Barrister Imranul Kabir stood for the CPA chairman, while advocate Manzil Morshed stood for the petitioner.
Barrister Imranul Kabir said the court has set May 12 for the next follow-up hearing to know about the updates.
The High Court, on January 5 this year, summoned the CPA chairman to appear before the court to explain for not complying with a High Court order over removal of all illegal structures beside the Karnaphuli River in the port area.
On the same day, the High Court also ordered the CPA chairman to evict the structures from 30 acres of land by January 26, this year.
On August 16, 2016, in response to a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), the High Court directed the authorities concerned to remove 2,181 illegal structures from the Karnaphuli River banks.
