HC refuses to hear plea over Dhanmondi playground
A High Court bench today refused to hear a writ petition seeking its directives on the authorities to remove the structures already built on Dhanmondi playground and to ensure access of general people to it.
Meanwhile, the playground was opened to public on April 24, days after protests by green activists.
The division bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice Md Habibul Gani also dropped the petition from its hearing list following an argument by the petitioner’s lawyer Fida M Kamal.
During the hearing, Justice Gani asked the defence counsel to inform the court about an earlier judgment of the HC that had directed to keep all the playgrounds in the capital city open for the public.
Fida Ma Kamal told the bench that it should not hear the petition if it has already decided not to issue any rule in this regard.
Then the judges said that they will not hear the petition.
Meanwhile, Barrister Sara Hossain, another lawyer for the petitioner, told reporters that Justice Gani felt embarrassed to hear the petition without mentioning any reason.
She also said that the will move the petition before another HC bench later.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told The Daily Star that the HC did not feel embarrassed. The bench dropped the matter from the hearing list as Fida M Kamal’s argument was not as expected by the court.
Earlier on April 22, the HC ordered the government not to take any legal action till Sunday against the green activists who had been demonstrating to press their demand that Dhanmondi playground be opened to public.
The order came hours after four environmentalists sued for protesting occupation of the playground surrendered before a lower court and secured bail.
The environmentalists -- Mubasshar Hussain, former president of Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB); Iqbal Habib, joint secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon; Kamrunnahar Dana, general secretary of Bangladesh Women's Sports Association, and architect Salma A Shafi -- had been sued and harassed for protesting occupation of the playground.
The Dhanmondi Club following a demonstration by environmentalists on April 18 filed a case accusing them of creating chaos near the “private property.” The green activists also face charges of entering Dhanmondi playground illegally and hampering construction work.
The petitioners, however, said the club had been constructing structures on the playground violating laws relating to environment, building construction and water bodies.
Several rights organisations have also been waging movements demanding public access to the playground.
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