HC orders halt to demolition of historic Shishubagh School in Ctg for 1 month

The High Court today issued a status quo (existing condition) for a month on the demolition of Shishubagh School, a historic structure with memories of the anti-British movement, at Rahmatganj in Chattogram.

The HC also issued a rule asking authorities concerned of the government to explain why their failure to protect the structure should not be declared illegal.

In the rule, the court also asked the government to show cause why it should not be directed to protect and preserve the structure as a heritage site.

The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam came up with the order and rule after hearing a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Masud Alam Chowdhury, seeking necessary directives to protect the building.

He submitted the writ petition as a public interest litigation to the HC following a report published in the Bangla daily Azadi on January 4 on demolition of Shishubagh School where around 500 students from play group to class five are studying now and 20 teachers are teaching them.

The building was established by Barrister Jatindra Mohan Sengupta, the then leader of Congress and anti-British movement and it was turned to Shishubagh School in 1970, petitioner's lawyer Hassan MS Azim told The Daily Star.

Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy, who represented the state, told this correspondent that M Farid Chowdhury, a local influential man, and his men demolished a part of the historical structure by a bulldozer on January 4 after he obtained a decree from the lower court concerned over the ownership of the building.