Form ministry to protect wetlands

The High Court has directed the authorities concerned to formulate a specific law and establish a separate ministry in order to protect and develop the wetlands across the country as public property.

The court came up with the order while declaring illegal the grabbing and filling up of water bodies, wetlands and farmlands by two companies of businessman Mohammad Noor Ali to set up a resort and an economic zone in Narayanganj's Sonargaon upazila.

No development that is done by damaging nature, environment and ecology can be sustainable, the court observed.

The economic development that takes place protecting, preserving and developing nature, ecology and environment becomes longstanding and brings equality, amity, and peace, the court added in its full text of verdict.

The verdict was released on Sunday.

In the 132-page verdict, the HC also ordered the government to ban plastic bags in the country and to construct separate bicycle lanes on all roads and highways and establish parks, walkways and bicycle lanes on the banks of rivers and canals in order to protect the environment.

At the same time, the court has given its opinions on 14 environment issues.

It asked the authorities to formulate a master plan to make Bangladesh cent percent self-reliant in renewable energy and to establish a separate ministry in this regard.

The HC bench of Justice Ashraful Kamal and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil came up with the verdict.

On December 2 last year, the HC bench had delivered the verdict following a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela).

The petition challenged the activities of Unique Property Development Ltd (UPDL) and Sonargaon Economic Zone (SEZ) owned by businessman Mohammad Noor Ali near the bank of the Meghna.

In the full text of the verdict, the HC declared illegal the inaction of authorities concerned to prevent the companies from grabbing and filling up water bodies, wetlands and farmlands in the area.

The court asked the government to take necessary steps to give a one-hour class on the importance, management and development of wetlands every two months to the students of all academic institutions in the country.

The government has been asked to form an authority to protect and preserve the world heritages like Sundarbans, historical mosques in Bagerhat and Paharpur Buddhabihar.

The court asked the authorities concerned to geographically locate all wetlands in the country through satellite and list and display them in public places at all unions, upazilas and districts for raising awareness among people.

In the verdict, the HC also asked the local administrations to arrange rallies, seminars and other awareness programmes about the necessity and efficacy of wetlands.

The court asked the Department of Environment and the local administration to jointly assess the amount of agricultural and wetlands of the six mouzas that were encroached upon and filled up by the companies of Noor Ali and to set the amount of compensations that would be paid to the people affected by the companies.

The mouzas are Pirojpur, Jainpur, Chhoyhissa, Char Bhabonathpur, Batibandha and Ratanpur mouzas.

The court also directed the local administration to restore the agricultural and wetlands to their original state within six months by removing sand after realising the cost from the companies.

The HC bench made it mandatory for attaching an environmental clearance certificate with an application filed by an individual or a company seeking permission to establish an Economic Zone.

It orders the government to include Ecoside (hurting and killing the biodiversity and wildlife) as an offence in the International Crimes Tribunal Act, 1973.

The HC judges congratulated the media and writ petitioner Bela for their effective roles in protecting and improving the environment including wetlands in the country.

Officials concerned have been ordered to send the copy of the HC verdict to all the authorities concerned including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for taking necessary steps.

The HC bench kept the writ petition as continuing mandamus so that any aggrieved person can move a prayer before it for necessary orders on the issue in the future.