Pay Tk 100cr to Moon Cinema owner by Dec 9: SC

The Supreme Court yesterday directed Freedom Fighters' Welfare Trust (FFWT) to pay Tk 100 crore to the owner of Moon Cinema Hall by December 9.

Moon Cinema Hall, which was located on Waiz Ghat Road in Dhaka, was handed over to FFWT during the Martial Law regime of 1975-79.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order while hearing a contempt of court petition.

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Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told the SC that the finance ministry has allocated Tk 100 crore in the budget for FFWT for giving it to the owner of Moon Cinema Hall.

Maksudul Alam, currently managing director of Bangladesh Italian Marble Works Ltd, was the owner of Moon Cinema Hall.

Delivering a verdict on the case against the constitution's fifth amendment, the SC on May 11, 2011 had directed Freedom Fighters' Welfare Fund to return properties of Moon Cinema in three months.

As the order went unheeded, Maksudul filed a contempt of court petition with the SC in January 2013 against the government authorities concerned and Freedom Fighters' Welfare Trust.

The SC in January 2017 directed eminent civil engineer Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury to assess the cost of properties of Moon Cinema Hall, which has already been turned into a development structure.

Jamilur Reza Chowdhury submitted a report to the SC assessing the cost of the property at around Tk 100 crore.

During hearing on the contempt of court petition, the SC on January 17 this year directed the FFWT to compensate around Tk 100 crore to the owner of the then Moon Cinema Hall in three instalments by July 30.

Barrister Ajmalul Hossain QC appeared for Maksudul.