Construction of court building by filling up historic pond stayed
COURT ORDER SAVES HISTORIC POND: The High Court has ordered the authorities concerned to stop their move to construct a 10-storey court building by filling up this 150-year-old pond on the premises of Saint Peter's Church in Barisal city.Photo: STAR
The High Court (HC) has stayed construction of a 10-storey court building by filling up a 150-year-old pond in Barisal city. After hearing on a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), a division bench comprising Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik and Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim passed the order on January 19. The court also issued a rule, asking eight respondents to explain in the next three weeks why construction of the building by filling up the pond should not be declared illegal. The respondents are secretary of the local government rural development ministry, Barisal city mayor, divisional and deputy commissioners, director of the Environment Directorate, sadar upazila nirbahi officer, executive engineer of Public Works Department and officer-in-charge of Barisal Kotwali Police Station. In December 2011, Public Works Department (PWD) completed all formalities, including approvals of the city corporation and the Department of Environment, to start construction of the 10-storey building by filling up the pond on 52 decimal land of Saint Peter's Church adjacent to the district judge court complex.
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