Stop earth-filling in Brahmanbaria river: HC

The High Court today ordered the government to immediately take effective measures to stop earth filling and encroachment of the Dholbhanga river in Banchharampur upazila of Brahmanbaria.

In response to a writ petition, the court directed the authorities concerned to remove the bamboo fence set up in the river and the soil dumped into it.

The deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Brahmanbaria, upazila nirbahi officer of Banchharampur and officer-in-charge of the local police station have been asked to comply with the order, and to submit a compliance report before the court in three weeks.

It also issued a rule upon the officials concerned of the government to explain in two weeks why they should not be directed to save the river and to take action against the encroachers of the river.

Environment secretary, directors general of departments of environment, and land record and survey are among those who have been made respondents to the rule.  

The HC bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice ABM Altaf Hossain came up with the order and rule after hearing a writ petition by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

The organisation submitted the petition on Monday saying that a section of land grabbers have reportedly encroached a portion of the Dholbhanga river with bamboo fence and filled up its earth violating the environment and water bodies laws.

At the today’s hearing, petitioner’s counsel Manzill Murshid prayed to the court to pass necessary orders to save the river.