Restoring Ctg Hill: Contempt rule against 9 officials
The High Court has issued a contempt of court rule against nine government officials including a secretary for not complying with its earlier directives to restore Gunagari hill in Banshkhali upazila to its original state.
In the rule, the court asked the nine officials to explain in four weeks why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against them for violating the directives issued in May, 2018.
The HC bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman issued the rule on June 30 following a contempt of court petition filed by rights organisation Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB).
HRPB President and its lawyer Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star yesterday that the nine officials against whom the contempt of court rule has been issued are -- the then Chattogram deputy commissioner when the directives were issued and current jute ministry Secretary Md Abdul Mannan, and the incumbent Chattogram DC Md Mominur Rahman; the then superintendent of police (SP) AKM Hafiz Akhter and current SP SM Rashidul Haque; the then upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Sabbir Iqbal and current UNO Saifuzzaman Chowdhury; the then officers-in-charge (OCs) of Banshkhali Police Station Abdul Malek and Md Shahjahan Khan and present OC Shafiul Kabir.
He said following a writ petition filed by HRPB, the HC on May 7, 2018, directed the officials to take steps to fill up the pits of Gunagari hill in Banshkhali and restore it to its original position within one year with money collected from the people liable for the damage.
The court also asked them to take appropriate legal action against those involved in cutting and damaging the hill.
But the respondent government officials have not yet complied with the directives, which is tantamount to contempt of court, Manzill Murshid added.
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