HC seeks Rajuk’s layout plans

The High Court yesterday sought Rajuk’s fourth-amended layout plan that demonstrated forest, open spaces, playgrounds, parks and waterbodies in Purbachal project and its proposed fifth plan for the project.

The court ordered Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha to submit its plans and copies of its board-meetings’ decisions after March 13, 2014 about the Purbachal New Town project in Gazipur before it by June 30.

The HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal came up with the order while hearing a writ petition filed by seven rights organisations.

The rights bodies, including Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Associations (Bela) and Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), submitted the petition in April, challenging Rajuk’s reported action to create and allocate new plots through shrinking spaces for educational institutions, playgrounds and forest at Purbachal New Town.

After yesterday’s proceedings, the HC bench fixed July 4 for passing further order.

Advocate Syed Rizwana Hasan, a lawyer for the petitioners, told The Daily Star that the HC on March 13, 2014 finally approved Raju’s fourth-amended layout plan. The 2014 HC verdict had ordered Rajuk not to bring any change to the use of land relating to environment without its permission.

The HC on December 17 last year refused to approve Rajuk’s fifth-amended layout plan as the project is being implemented damaging the ecology of trees, forest, waterbodies and garh areas, she said.

But, Rajuk is now reportedly creating and allocating new plots changing the layout plan and relocating school grounds and allocating land for residence, health, research and commercial organisations under the project, which is contradictory to the 2014 HC verdict, the lawyer added.

Advocate Sayeed Ahmed Kabir also appeared for the rights bodies, while Barrister Tanjib-Ul-Alam argued for Rajuk.