The Supreme Court today ordered the authorities concerned to reconnect the electricity supply to Gulshan Shopping Center Complex at Gulshan-1 in Dhaka.

Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (Rajuk) and Dhaka Electric Supply Company Ltd (Desco) have been asked to comply with the order within seven days.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order following a petition filed by the shopkeepers of Gulshan Shopping Center Complex seeking a direction to reconnect the power supply.

A mobile court of Rajuk disconnected the electricity of the shopping complex on February 29 last year saying that the five-storey building was constructed in an unauthorized manner, the shopkeeper’s lawyer, Advocate Hossain Ahmed Ashique told The Daily Star.

The shopkeepers of the complex then filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the legality of the disconnection of the electricity line.

The High Court directed Rajuk to settle the application of the shopkeepers for reconnecting the electricity supply in 10 days.

The owner of the Gulshan Shopping Center Complex Ahmed Foyzur Rahman filed an appeal with the Supreme Court against the High Court order.

The Supreme Court chamber judge then stayed the High Court order for eight weeks.

Then the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on August 16 last year ruled that the shopkeepers of the shopping complex are legally entitled to electricity connection.

The land owner Foyzur Rahman filed a review petition with the apex court against its ruling.

The shopkeepers also filed an application with the apex court seeking direction for reconnecting the electricity line.

Today, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing of the review petition till August 5 and ordered Rajuk and Desco to reconnect the electricity line to the shopping complex in seven days, Hossain Ahmed said.

The shopkeepers have been continuing their operation with generators.