The High Court today directed National River Conservation Commission (NRCC) to prepare a list of people, who grabbed the land of Titas River in Brahmanbaria, and to submit it to this court in 90 days.

The court also issued a rule asking the respondents to explain in four weeks why their inaction in preventing pollution of the river and in demarcating its boundaries should not be declared illegal.

Secretaries at the ministries of land, forest and environment, and water resources; chairmen of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and NRCC; director generals of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and directorate of Land Record and Survey, and Department of Environment (DoE); deputy commissioner of Brahmanbaria and deputy director of its DoE office have been made respondents to the rule.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman came up with the order and rule following a writ petition filed as a public interest litigation by Supreme Court lawyer AQM Sohel Rana seeking necessary directives in this regard.

Citing the petition, Sohel Rana told The Daily Star that a section of local influential people has reportedly grabbed the land of Titas River in different areas of Brahmanbaria and polluted its environment in violation of law, but the administration has not taken any action yet.

Deputy Attorney General Bepul Bagmar represented the state during hearing of the petition.