File photo of Mohammad Nasiruddin, a legendary journalist and one of the pioneers in establishing the rights of women.

A legal notice was served to the government today, urging it to protect and preserve as a heritage ‘Nasiruddin Smrity Bhaban’, the 127-year old house of Mohammad Nasiruddin, who was the editor of the monthly Shawgat and founder of the weekly Begum.

Mohammad Nasiruddin’s daughter Nurjahan Begum, a pioneer of women in journalism, and her husband litterateur Rokanuzzaman Khan Dada Bhai, had lived in ‘Nasiruddin Smirity Bhaban’ at Sharatgupta Road in Narinda of Dhaka.

Rokanuzzaman’s daughter Flora Nasrin Khan, who was also the founder director of Kachi Kanchar Mela, and a journalist Nurjahan sent the notice asking the authorities concerned of the government to take necessary steps to 24 hours to protect Nasiruddin Smrity Bhaban as a heritage.

Advocate Eunus Ali Akond, who served the notice on behalf of Flora Nasrin Khan, told The Daily Star that Rokanuzzaman’s granddaughter Sabit Farizma and her husband Nawsher Nur are trying to demolish the historical house for constructing a multi-storey building there.

Flora Nasrin Khan applied to the department of archaeology on July 6 for protecting the house as a heritage, but the department did not respond to the application, he said, adding that the historical house needs to be protected under Article 24 of the constitution.

Eunus said his client will move a writ petition with the High Court seeking directives on the authorities for protecting the house if they do not respond to the legal notice.