Court Correspondent :
The High Court on Thursday directed the Ministry of Housing and Public Works to formulate a guideline for allocating industrial plots within the Begunbari-Hatirjheel development project in the capital.
Delivering its judgment on a 12-year-old suo moto rule, the apex court also ordered the Ministry to complete the process of setting up industries in the designated area within the next two years.
The court instructed that notices be issued to those who violated their contracts and failed to construct industrial establishments. Logical reasons for non-compliance should be considered after conducting thorough inquiries.
If no valid reason is found, the government may take legal action for breach of contract, according to the High Court bench comprising Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman and Justice AKM Rabiul Hassan.
Previously, on May 10, 2012, another bench led by Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik, now retired as an Appellate Division Judge, had issued a suo moto rule questioning the legality of the allotment process for industrial plots on a proposed 60-foot-wide road in the Begunbari-Hatirjheel development project.
The allotment process was initially stayed following a report published in a Bangla daily on March 24, 2010.
The report, titled “Sarak prokolpo ratarati hoye gelo shilpo plot” (Road project turned into industrial plot overnight), highlighted that the BNP-led four-party alliance government had allocated the road area to State Ministers in 2006, violating a 1994 plan.
In its verdict, the High Court lifted the stay order and disposed of the rule, Senior Advocate Manzill Murshid, an intervener in the case, told the media.
Murshid explained that 24 industrial plots had been allocated in the area, with questions raised about specific plots allocated to the owners of business organizations like Rupali Sweater, Khabarpatra, Bangladesh Telecom, Auto Flowers Mill, Brothers Garments, and Focus Fashion.
Manzill Murshid, who is also the President of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, added that these plots remain in the possession of the original allottees.
Representing the plot owners, a section of lawyers including Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Raghib Rauf Chowdhury, KM Mainuddin Ishaque, Abdul Aleem Bhuiyan Jewel, Advocate Zulhas Uddin Ahmed, Imam Hossain, Sabbir Hamza, Mosharraf Hossain, Mohammad Ali, and Julhas Uddin argued the case, while lawyers Nazrul Islam Khandkar and Sukumar Biswas represented the Ministry of Housing and Public Works during the hearings.