Court orders removal of 52 establishments at Sugandha Point in Cox’s Bazar
The plaintiff's lawyer said the Cox’s Bazar municipality had illegally issued trade licenses to the 52 people
The Appellate Division has annulled the stay order and rule of the High Court on the removal of 52 establishments at Sugandha Point in Cox's Bazar sea beach and ordered the demolition of the establishments.
The virtual Appeal Bench headed by the chief justice passed the order on Thursday (October 1) on the plea of the land ministry and the state, land ministry lawyer Manzil Morshed confirmed.
On April 10, 2018, the Cox's Bazar Development Authority issued a notice to remove the 52 establishments. Challenging the notice, the owners of the establishments filed a writ petition in the High Court.
On April 16, the High Court stayed the proceedings of the notice. At the same time, the court issued a rule to those concerned, said Manzil Morshed.
Later, the land ministry and the state appealed against the High Court order. Disposing of the appeal on Thursday, the Appellate Division annulled the High Court order.
At the appeal hearing, advocate Manzil Morshed said the Cox's Bazar beach area had been declared an Ecological Critical Area (ECA). Authorities have demolished several structures in the Cox's Bazar beach area following a High Court ruling in a recent case.
The Appellate Division in a judgment had directed the removal of installations within the ECA. Even so, some individuals have been operating their business on the beach area, shuffling various excuses, he added.
The lawyer said the Cox's Bazar municipality had illegally issued trade licenses to the 52 people for business.
After receiving the eviction notice from the Cox's Bazar Development Authority in 2018, Jasim Uddin, a businessman in Cox's Bazar, along with 51 businessmen, filed a writ petition in the High Court.
In the writ petition, 11 people and organisations including the Ministry of Land, Cox's Bazar deputy commissioner, superintendent of police, and Cox's Bazar Development Authority were made defendants.