The High Court today ordered a judicial inquiry into allegations of grabbing 60 acres of agricultural land at Muhuripara in Cox's Bazar.

In response to a writ petition, the court ordered the chief judicial magistrate of Cox's Bazar to conduct an inquiry into the allegations and submit the probe report to it in two months.

The HC also issued status quo on the possession of the land till further order.

At the same time, the court issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government to explain why their inaction and failure to prevent or restrain the land grabbers from grabbing 60 acres of agricultural land at Muhuripara, adjacent to Bakkhali river in Cox's Bazar, and thereby allowing them to change the nature of the said agricultural land should not be declared illegal.

The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah came up with the order and rule following a writ petition filed by leading rights organisation Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), seeking necessary orders on this issue.

Lawyers Syeda Nasrin and Md Shahinuzzaman appeared for the writ petitioner during virtual hearing on the petition.

ASK submitted the writ petition as a public interest litigation to the HC in March this year, seeking its directives on the authorities concerned to recover the 60 acres of agricultural land from the illegal land grabbers and hand it over to the rightful owners in its original nature and character.