Shipbreaking yard: HC summons Ctg addl div commissioner for forestland allocation

The High Court today summoned Chattogram's Additional Divisional Commissioner Yasmin Parvin Tibriji, directing her to appear before it on July 9 for allocating forestland at Sitakunda to Kohinoor Steel Ltd for constructing a shipbreaking yard in violation of its directive.

The court also issued a rule contempt of court rule against Yasmin Parvin Tibriji and ordered her to appear before it on July 9 to explain her role in this matter.

The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil delivered the order and rule following a contempt of court petition filed by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) against Yasmin.

According to the petition, Tibriji on March 24 this year issued an order to reinstate the lease of 7.10 acres of forestland at Uttor Chhalimpur under Sitakunda upazila in favour of Kohinoor Steel Ltd in the absence of representatives from environment, forest and climate change and forest department and without soliciting their opinions.

Earlier on January 2, 2020, the HC had declared illegal the contract of the land executed by the deputy commissioner of Chattogram in favour of BBC Steel Ltd, the petitioner said in the petition.

Barrister Mohammad Ashraf Ali assisted by Advocate S Hasanul Banna appeared for the writ petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Kazi Mynul Hassan represented the state during hearing of the petition.