HC blasts Cox’s Bazar DC for not evicting illegal structures

Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Wednesday blasted Cox’s Bazar’s Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mamunur Rashid, for not evicting illegal structures from the sea beach areas in the district though it had directed doing so 11 years ago.
“We watch television to know what you have done for evicting illegal structures from Cox’s Bazar sea beach. Your performance is not only zero, but also negative in complying with the order on removing them. You must comply with the order of this court, otherwise your career will be ruined,” the HC bench of Justice J B M Hassan and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil told DC Mamur Rashid during the hearing of a contempt of court petition.
Earlier in the day, DC Mamunur Rashid appeared before the HC
bench in compliance with its August 25 summons order.
Mamunur Rashid told the court that his office had complied with the HC directive to some extent and will implement the directive soon.
DC Mamunur Rashid submitted an affidavit through his lawyer Md Momtaz Uddin Fakir, offering unconditional apology to the HC bench for not fully complying with the HC directive.
The HC bench ordered the DC to evict the illegal structures from Cox’s Bazar sea beach in line with its directive and to submit a compliance report to it by November 9.
The court exonerated Mamunur Rashid from personal appearance before this court in connection with this case.
On August 25, the summoned Cox’s Bazar’s DC directing him to appear before this court on October 19 for not evicting illegal structures from the sea beach areas in the district even though it had directed it to do so 11 years ago.
The court also issued a contempt of court rule against five government high officials including the DC of Cox’s Bazar for not complying with its directives.
In the rule, the HC asked the officials to explain as to why appropriate legal action should not be taken against them for not implementing its directives.
Other four officials against whom the rule was issued are Cox’s Bazar’s Superintendent of Police Md Hasanuzzan, Cox’s Bazar Municipality Mayor Mujibur Rahman, former chairman of Cox’s Bazar Development Authority Lt Col (Retd) Forkan Ahmed, and its Deputy Town Planner Tanvir Hasan Rezaul.
The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil issued the summon order and rule following a contempt of court petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), a rights organization.
HRPB’s lawyer Manzill Murshid said following a writ petition filed by HRPB the HC on June 7, 2011 directed the officials concerned of the government to evict illegal structures from Jhilonja, Sugondha and Laboni areas of Cox’s Bazar sea beach.
But, they have not taken effective steps to properly implement the HC verdict, which is tantamount to contempt of court, the lawyer added.