Stop filling up Marikhali canal in Sonargaon: HC

The High Court today issued an injunction restraining Al Mostafa Group and another private company for filling up Marikhali canal with earth in Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj.

The court also asked the two companies to restore the canal to its previous position within the next six months.

The officer-in-change (OC) of Sonargaon Police Station was directed to submit a monitoring report in three months whether Al Mostafa Group comply its order.

The HC also issued a rule asking the respondents to explain in three months why earth filling of Marikhali canal should not be declared illegal.

The respondents are: Land secretary, agriculture secretary, environment secretary, director general of department of environment and director general of water development board, chairman of BIWTA, deputy commissioner and superintendent of police in Narayanganj, Sonargaon upazila nirbahi officer and assistant commissioner of land in the upazila, Sonargaon OC, Mostaga Kamal, managing director of Al Mostafa Group and Heritage Polymer and Lemitubes Ltd and Eruro Marine Ship Builder and Dockyard Ltd.

The bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal passed the order and rule following a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association (Bela).

The writ petition challenged legality of earth filling on Marikhali canal.

Petitioner Bela submitted the writ as public interest litigation on February 7 saying that the companies are violating the law and the earth filling on the canal is causing damage to the environment.