Milestone jet crash: HC refuses to hear petition over compensation citing earlier rule

The High Court today refused to hear a writ petition that sought its directive on the government to pay at least Tk 10 lakh as initial compensation within 24 hours to each injured person and to the families of those who died in the Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet crash at Milestone School and College in Dhaka's Uttara on July 21.

The bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Syed Jahed Mansur also dropped the petition from its cause list.

The bench said the court is not inclined to hear the petition, as it had already issued an order on July 22 to form an expert committee to investigate the incident and issued a rule regarding compensation for the victims.

Earlier in the day, writ petitioner Advocate Md Eunus Ali Akond prayed to the HC bench for holding hearing of the petition and to pass an order.

Eunus Ali told The Daily Star that he will move the same petition before another HC bench later.

On July 23, Supreme Court lawyer Eunus Ali filed the petition as public interest litigation, also urging the court to bar authorities from approving construction plans for buildings over four storeys in the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) Uttara project areas and near the airport, in accordance with relevant laws.

The petition names as respondents the secretaries of the housing and public works, defence, and cabinet ministries, the director of Inter-Service Public Relations, and the chairmen of Rajuk and the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).

Citing his petition, Advocate Eunus told this correspondent that the previous governments have created housing business in the name of Uttara North South West East project where four to 20 storied buildings were constructed in violation of relevant laws including the Civil Aviation Act.