Keep Mouchak Market shut until Rajuk clearance: HC

The High Court yesterday directed the authorities concerned to keep the shops at Dhaka's Mouchak market closed until a certificate is received under the building code after the market is repaired.

The bench of Justice Quamrul Islam Siddique and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil gave the order following a petition that challenged the legality of an order issued by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) for repairing the building.

Based on a report prepared by Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) in September last year, Rajuk sent a letter to the market owner on May 2 this year asking to vacate the shops and repair the market immediately as it became risky.

Yesterday, Ashraf Kamal Pasha, the owner, filed the petition challenging the legality of Rajuk's letter.

Housing and public works secretary and Rajuk will execute the order.

The court however at the same time issued a rule upon the authorities concerned to explain why the Rajuk's directives should not be declared illegal.