HC order declaring Ashiyan City illegal to stay

The High Court verdict, that declared the activities of Ashiyan City housing project in the capital's Holan and Ashkona area illegal, will remain in force as the Supreme Court today passed “no order” on a petition seeking a stay on the judgment. 

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Justice SK Sinha came up with the decision after hearing the petition filed by Ashiyan City seeking a stay on the judgement.

The SC’s no order means that the HC verdict will remain in force until any further order, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela), told The Daily Star.

The HC on January 16 in response to a writ petition filed by eight rights rganisation including Bela declared the housing project illegal and against public interest.

The Ashiyan City authorities now can move an appeal before the Appellate Division of the SC after getting the HC full judgement, Rizwana said.

The full text of the HC verdict is yet to be released by the HC division, she said.

The Ashiyan City authorities filed the petition recently seeking a stay on the HC verdict.

After today’s proceedings, Advocate Mahmudul Islam, a counsel for the writ petitioners, told reporters that the HC verdict has apparently been upheld by the Appellate Division today.