HC bans earth-filling in Savar canal

The High Court yesterday imposed a ban on earth-filling in Bamni Khal (canal) at Savar in Dhaka by housing companies Zam Zam Noor City, SA Housing and Sugandha Housing for their unapproved housing projects.

In response to a petition, the court ordered the authorities concerned to submit a report on how much land of the canal, which is flowing through Chandunia, Konda and Kandiboliarpur Mouzas in Savar, has been filled.

Chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), director generals of the Department of Environment (DoE) and Water Development Board and deputy commissioner of Dhaka have been asked to prepare the report.

The HC also issued a rule asking the officials concerned of the government to explain why their failure to protect Bamni Khal and its adjacent waterbodies and farmlands from the earth-filling by Zam Zam Noor City, SA Housing and Sugandha Housing for unapproved housing projects should not be declared illegal and detrimental to public interest.

The bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah issued the directive and rule following a petition filed by six rights organisations and an urban planner Prof Adil Muhammad Khan seeking necessary directives to protect Bamni Khal.

Other five organisations are -- Nijrea Kori; Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD); Manobadhikar Sangskriti Foundation (MSF); Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK); and Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST).

The DoE had fined Tk 23 lakh to Zam Zam Noor City on October 21, 2021 and Rajuk had fined it Tk 5 lakh on September 20 last year, but the company has continued its activities, the petitioners said in the petition.

Advocate Syeda Rizwana Hasan assisted by lawyer Shamima Nasrin appeared for the petitioners while Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy represented the state during the hearing of the petition.