The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has vacated the High Court’s stay order on a proposed hi-tech park in Gazipur. The directive removes all legal barriers to the commencement of work on the project that had been planned almost 15 years ago.
“The High Court had stayed the appointment of a project developer. The Appellate Division has withheld that interim order. There are no further obstacles to proceeding with the project,” Additional Attorney General Murad Reza told journalists Thursday.State Minister for ICT, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, said that Bangladesh would come to be regarded as a model of ICT development once the project was complete.
“The hi-tech park was our dream project. During her first stint in office, Sheikh Hasina wanted to start it. But the next government did not take it forward. Then the court injunction came. Now that’s cleared as well,” he told journalists.
In 2012, the government had decided that the project would be implemented through public-private partnership.
The minister said that the decision was still valid.
“We are not setting any deadline, but the implementation has already started.”
In February 2013, the government approved the Tk 2.26 billion project.
In November the same year, the High Court stayed the appointment of a developer following a petition.
“We filed an appeal with the Appellate Division against the HC order. The five-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain, put on hold the HC order on Jan 28,” said Additional Attorney General Murad Reza.
The Board of Investment, headed by the Prime Minister, decided to establish the hi-tech park in 1999 on the 232-acre land of the Kaliyakoir Surface Satellite Station in Gazipur.-bdnews24.com
