Move to lease B’baria wetland illegal: HC

The High Court today declared the government move illegal and unconstitutional to lease 4.23 acres of beel (wetland) in Brahmanbaria in favour of a private university.

At the same time, the court directed the authorities concerned to change the record of the land back to its previous position and protect the land in the greater public interest.

The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo delivered the verdict following a writ petition filed by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) challenging the legality of the government decision and seeking necessary directives.

Lawyers Mohammad Ashraf Ali Ashraf and S Hasanul Banna appeared for the petitioner while Mohammad Bakir Uddin Bhuiyan argued for the University of Brahmanbaria during the hearing of the petition.

Bakir told The Daily Star that his client will move an appeal before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court challenging the HC verdict. The full text of the HC is yet to be released.

On November 11 last year, Bela in the petition filed as a public interest litigation with the HC said that the government's decision to change the status of the beel land at Bijoynagar upazilla in Brahmanbaria into a "wasteland" was illegal.

The petition also termed illegal the purported move to lease the land in favour of the University of Brahmanbaria.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Bijoynagar recommended leasing the 4.23 acres of beel land at Char Razabari mouja of Bijoynagar by changing its status to the University of Brahmanbaria.

Later, the deputy commissioner sent the recommendation to the land secretary.

Bela said in the petition that there is no scope for changing the status of beel under the laws of the country.

Following the petition, the HC on December 12 last year stayed the government proceedings for leasing the beel land.

The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why their decision of changing the land into a "wasteland" and the purported move to lease it in favour of the university should not be declared illegal.