The High Court today directed the government to take immediate steps to protect historic Khan Jahan Ali Dighi, a large tank in Bagerhat under Khulna division, from illegal grabbing.

In response to a writ petition, the court also issued restriction on changing the size and shape of the Dighi through earth filling for six months, as locally influential Md Zakir Hossain Mridha, Sheikh Maruf Hossain and Kazi Mahbubur Rahman have allegedly started filling the tank in their own interest.

The HC also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government and why its failure to protect, recover and maintain Khan Jahan Ali Dighi should not be declared illegal and against the public interest.

In the rule, the court also asked them to show causes why they should not be directed to protect the tank from earth filing and to bring it to its original position.

It asked the government authorities to submit a report on the present condition of the tank after strictly monitoring the activities of Zakir, Maruf and Mahbubur over it in a month.

The HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hassan came up with the order and rule after hearing a writ petition as public interest litigation filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) seeking necessary orders to protect Khan Jahan Ali Dighi in Bagerhat.

BELA in the petition said that the tank has been playing an important role as it is one of the containers of pumping out of water in the area for a long time and its water is used by the locals for their daily works.

But locally influential Zakir, Maruf and Mahbubur have started filling the tank in their own interest, the organisation said.