HC halts construction work on Cox’s Bazar dunes

The High Court has ordered an eight-week halt to construction work on the sand dunes of Cox’s Bazar sea beach following a contempt of court petition.

A High Court bench comprising Justice JBM Hasan and Justice Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan passed the order on Wednesday.

The court also issued a rule and adjourned the contempt proceedings for eight weeks.

Senior lawyer Manzil Morshed, who appeared for the petitioner, said the contempt petition was filed against four people, including the Cox’s Bazar deputy commissioner and the project director, over alleged violation of an earlier court order.

The petition followed media reports that construction work was being carried out on the beach dunes despite the court’s earlier directives to preserve the natural features of Cox’s Bazar sea beach and remove structures built on the dunes.

The Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) also filed a writ petition seeking an order to stop the project.

The High Court directed the authorities to preserve the natural features of Cox’s Bazar sea beach and remove all structures built on the sand dunes. Various structures were subsequently removed from the dunes twice following court orders.

The attorney general and Deputy Attorney General Nur Mohammad Azami represented the government.