N’ganj Rimjhim housing project illegal: HC

The High Court today declared Rimjhim Police Town and Italian City housing projects at Bhalabho Union under Rupganj Upazila in Narayanganj illegal.

At the same time, the court also ordered authorities concerned of the projects to bring the land which was changed for constructing the projects back to its original shape.

The bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan came up with the verdict after hearing a writ petition filed by four local residents challenging the legality of the projects.

The HC declared Rimjhim Police Town and Italian City housing projects at four moujas in Valavo Union illegal as they were being constructed on the agricultural land by filling with sand without taking permission from the department of environment, writ petitioners’ lawyer Advocate Taimur Alam Khondaker told The Daily Star.

He said the housing projects were being constructed in more than 5,000 acres of land in violation of the Bangladesh Environment Protection Act, 1995.

Advocate Taimur said the owners of the projects cannot go ahead with constructing the housing projects following the HC directive.

The details of the HC verdict including its observations will be known once its full text is released, he said.