Land filling at Sonargaon economi zone ‘illegal’ : HC
Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Wednesday declared illegal the land filling activities in agricultural land, water bodies and parts of Meghna River in different areas of Sonargaon upazila in Narayanganj in the names of Sonargaon Resort City and Sonargaon Economic Zone.
The HC bench of Justice Md Ashraful Kamal and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil delivered the verdict after holding hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard.
The two companies are owned by Noor Ali, Managing Director of Unique Group.
The HC bench also ordered the Department of Environment (DoE) and local administration of Sonargaon and Narayanganj to take necessary steps to restore the farmland and wetland there in six months.
While delivering the verdict, the HC observed that Sonargaon Resort City and Sonargaon Economic Zone grabbing farmland and wetland in six moujas of Sonargaon upazila near the bank of Meghna River is appalling, as they were done in violation of the relevant laws and directives issued by the HC and Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in different times.
Citing the government documents, the court said the business conglomerate has filled-up agricultural lands and wetlands in Pirojpur, Jainpur, Chhoyhissa, Charbhobonathpur, Batibandha and Ratanpur moujas in Sonargaon upazila, first in the name of a resort city and later a private economic zone.
The court directed the DoE and the local administration to probe into the incidents of grabbing and earth filling by Sonargaon Resort City and Sonargaon Economic Zone and other organization or person and to give proper compensation to the owners of the lands.
Around 1868 bighas of farmland and wetland at six moujas in Sonargoan have been grabbed, the HC said.
The HC bench said any company has to apply to the Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) for establishing an economic zone in line with the Bangladesh Economic Zone Act, 2010 after obtaining clearance certificates from the DoE and other government offices.
Md Noor Ali’s companies can submit a fresh application for permission from Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority to establish an economic zone in accordance with the law, the HC said.
Justice Md Ashraful Kamal said Noor Ali should establish an environment friendly industry so that not only Bangladesh but also the world follows him. If the ecology and environment cannot be protected, human beings cannot survive, the judge said.
Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) filed the writ petition in 2014 challenging the legality of grabbing land and earth filling for establishing a housing project and economic zone at Sonargaon.
The bench has kept the writ petition as a continuous mandamus so that any aggrieved person can move a prayer before this court for necessary order on this issue in future.
The same HC bench on November 24 fixed December 2 for delivering the verdict after concluding final hearing on the petition. Lawyer Syeda Rizwana Hasan argued for BELA while lawyers Murad Reza and Ahsanul Karim appeared for Noor Ali.
The High Court on Wednesday declared illegal the land filling activities in agricultural land, water bodies and parts of Meghna River in different areas of Sonargaon upazila in Narayanganj in the names of Sonargaon Resort City and Sonargaon Economic Zone.
The HC bench of Justice Md Ashraful Kamal and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil delivered the verdict after holding hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard.
The two companies are owned by Noor Ali, Managing Director of Unique Group.
The HC bench also ordered the Department of Environment (DoE) and local administration of Sonargaon and Narayanganj to take necessary steps to restore the farmland and wetland there in six months.
While delivering the verdict, the HC observed that Sonargaon Resort City and Sonargaon Economic Zone grabbing farmland and wetland in six moujas of Sonargaon upazila near the bank of Meghna River is appalling, as they were done in violation of the relevant laws and directives issued by the HC and Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in different times.
Citing the government documents, the court said the business conglomerate has filled-up agricultural lands and wetlands in Pirojpur, Jainpur, Chhoyhissa, Charbhobonathpur, Batibandha and Ratanpur moujas in Sonargaon upazila, first in the name of a resort city and later a private economic zone.
The court directed the DoE and the local administration to probe into the incidents of grabbing and earth filling by Sonargaon Resort City and Sonargaon Economic Zone and other organization or person and to give proper compensation to the owners of the lands.
Around 1868 bighas of farmland and wetland at six moujas in Sonargoan have been grabbed, the HC said.
The HC bench said any company has to apply to the Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) for establishing an economic zone in line with the Bangladesh Economic Zone Act, 2010 after obtaining clearance certificates from the DoE and other government offices.
Md Noor Ali’s companies can submit a fresh application for permission from Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority to establish an economic zone in accordance with the law, the HC said.
Justice Md Ashraful Kamal said Noor Ali should establish an environment friendly industry so that not only Bangladesh but also the world follows him. If the ecology and environment cannot be protected, human beings cannot survive, the judge said.
Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) filed the writ petition in 2014 challenging the legality of grabbing land and earth filling for establishing a housing project and economic zone at Sonargaon.
The bench has kept the writ petition as a continuous mandamus so that any aggrieved person can move a prayer before this court for necessary order on this issue in future.
The same HC bench on November 24 fixed December 2 for delivering the verdict after concluding final hearing on the petition. Lawyer Syeda Rizwana Hasan argued for BELA while lawyers Murad Reza and Ahsanul Karim appeared for Noor Ali.
