Protect Supreme Court's land: HC

High Court (HC) yesterday directed authorities concerned to protect and maintain lands of Supreme Court (SC) amounting 55.5 acres, in accordance with law.
It also declared that the lands, recorded in the name of Bharat Samrat in 1910 under Central Survey (CS) Khatian No 16855 and CS Dag No 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 16/162, are now SC property.
The HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain came up with the verdict after holding hearing of a writ petition filed by two SC lawyers and examining relevant documents.
Asaduzzaman Siddiqui and Aklas Uddin Bhuiyan jointly filed the petition as public interest litigation on January 31 stating that different organisations are grabbing SC land.
Petitioners' Counsel Advocate Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star that concerned authorities of government and SC is to restore and record the lands in the name of SC, as per the verdict. He said Roads and Highways Department (RHD) illegally occupies around 7 acres and Shishu Academy around 2.5 acres of SC land.
Earlier on January 31, the bench, following the petition, issued a rule upon the authorities to explain why it should not be directed to maintain and protect the SC land.