No earth filling on 2,500 bighas of agri land, waterbodies in Rupganj: HC

The High Court today (August 28, 2022) directed the government to stop -- for the next three months – the earth filling on around 2,500 bighas of agricultural land and waterbodies near Purbachal of Daudpur Union in Naryanganj's Rupganj.

The court also ordered the deputy commissioner of Narayanganj to conduct an inquiry into the alleged earth filling and to submit a report to it in two months.

At the same time, the HC issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government to explain why their inaction in preventing filling the land and waterbodies with sands dredging from Shitalakkhya river should not be declared illegal.

The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo issued the directive and rule following a writ petition filed as a public interest litigation by AKM Tamiz Uddin, a local land owner, challenging the legality of the government's inaction to prevent the land filling.

Petitioner's lawyer Mahin M Rahman told The Daily Star that the Marine City under the signboard of Marine Group of Companies has been filling around 2,500 bighas of land agricultural land and water bodies near Purbachal area since February in violation of the relevant rules and laws.

But the local administration did not take any step to prevent such illegal activities, for which the HC expressed astonishment, he added.