HC orders disconnection of utility supplies

The High Court yesterday directed the authorities concerned to disconnect water, gas and electricity supplies of illegal occupants of Laldiarchar area along the Karnaphuli river in Chattogram in three months in order to remove unauthorised structures from the area.

While hearing a writ petition, the court ordered the law enforcers to provide all assistance to Water Supply Authority (Wasa), Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL) and Power Development Board (PDB) in disconnecting water, gas and electricity supplies of the illegal occupants.

The bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Mohammad Ali also asked the authorities to submit separate reports to the court after complying with the directives in three months.

The bench passed the order after Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) Chairman Rear Admiral Zulfiqur Aziz yesterday appeared before it and submitted a report saying that it has already evicted the illegal structures from 35 acres out of total 58 acres of Laldiarchar land.

The CPA has sent letters to the authorities concerned of Wasa, KGDCL and PDB for disconnecting the utility supplies from the other 23 acres with the aim to remove the illegal structures along the Karnaphuli river, but no action has been taken, the CPA chief said in the report.

In the report, he also appealed to the HC to pass the necessary order in this regard.

The HC bench exonerated (CPA) Chairman Zulfiqur Aziz from personal appearance before it.

Earlier on January 5, another HC bench summoned the CPA chairman to appear before it and to explain the non-compliance with an HC order to remove all illegal structures along the river in the port area.

The court had also ordered the CPA chairman to evict the structures from the rest of the land by January 26.

Additional Attorney General Murad Reza and Barrister Imranul Kabir appeared for the CPA while Advocate Manzill Murshid represented Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh that filed the writ petition with the HC in 2010 for the necessary orders.