The Supreme Court on Monday directed Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) to maintain the status quo on the development work on its Purbachal housing project under Barakau and Parabarta moujas in Kaliganj upazila of Gazipur district. Passing the order, a five-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain, also asked the High Court to dispose of a writ petition filed in this connection in three months. The order came following a petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela). Bela lawyer Iqbal Kabir Liton said no construction or development work can be carried out in the housing project following the verdict of the Appellate Division. “The project has to be kept as it’s now.” Bela filed the writ petition with the HC challenging the legality of the Rajuk housing project citing it has not taken any clearance certificate from the Department of Environment. Following the petition, the HC on August 1 issued a stay order on the development work on the project and a rule upon the authorities concerned to explain as to why the development work on the Purbachal project should not be declared illegal. On August 20, the Chamber Judge of the Supreme Court stayed the HC order. Later, Bela moved the Appellate Division seeking vacation of the Chamber Judge order. – UNB
