Face-Off over Parir Pahar: Ctg lawyers demand removal of DC
Chattogram District Bar Association (CDBA) leaders yesterday demanded removal of Deputy Commissioner of Chattogram Mohammed Mominur Rahman, accusing him of resorting to falsehood against the lawyers' association.
They said the DC should apologise to lawyers for making "derogatory remarks" about the organisation. They also accused the DC of taking rent from illegal structures by leasing the hill area in the name of lawyers.
The leaders came up with the demands while addressing a press conference at the city's CDBA Auditorium.
The demands come amidst an ongoing face-off between the district administration and lawyers of Chattogram Court Building over the construction of two establishments at Parir Pahar, popularly known as Court Building hill.
It began when the CDBA issued a tender to construct two 12-storied buildings on the hill.
CDBA general secretary AHM Zia Uddin said, "He (the DC) has been pedalling serious falsehood centring our establishments. We want peaceful coexistence, but if needed, we will take the legal path."
"CDBA's buildings are constructed by the donation of PM, law ministry, and self-funding by the association. If the buildings are illegal, then the donation would not be approved by the PM and ministry," he added.
CDBA president advocate Enamul Haque said, "We have seen in the news media that the DC office has sent a confidential report to the PM office filled with
misinformation. In the report, they said our establishments are illegal, though the Chittagong Development Authority says they are legal."
"The report states that there are 353 illegal structures at the court building premises. However, the DC office regularly collects rent from these establishments," said the lawyer.
Contacted yesterday, the DC office said after taking lease of the land in 1977, CDBA did not pay any land tax in the last 44 years. Apart from that, breaking the rules of land lease, CDBA has built several permanent establishments without taking any permission from the DC office. Moreover, CDBA has encroached one acre and 24 Shataks of land after taking the land on lease.