A five-member Appellate Division bench headed by Justice M Fazlul Karim issued the order upon a government appeal against the HC judgment delivered in May, 2000.

The apex court judgment cleared the way for the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) to demolish the unlawful structure beyond the sixth floor of the beautiful building constructed at a cost of around Tk 700 crore.

Within hours of the court's order, the authorities announced that demolition of the building would start at 7:00am today. Microphones blared out sharp yesterday afternoon, asking companies housed in the edifice to vacate it by midnight.

Rangs Group however appealed to the government to allow 15 days for shifting its machinery and other goods from its building.

Abdur Rahman, a general manager of the Rangs Group, told the news agency over phone that 30 companies with 35,000 officials and employees used to operate from the commercial building --one of the tallest in Dhaka's rising skyline.

“It's a humanitarian disaster,” Rahman said in a pensive mood, adding that both officials and employees were perturbed as to what is to be done at such short notice to clear their offices, furniture, equipment, papers and documents.

He said they were informed that over 600 labourers of Rajuk would join the demolition drive to break the building with bulldozers and other tools.

THE CASE
The High Court, in its 2000 verdict upon a writ petition filed by the Rangs Group, declared the Rajuk notices illegal, saying that the construction of Rangs Bhaban was done as per the plan approved by Rajuk following the terms and conditions.

It further said Rajuk notices canceling sanction of the plan and its other letters asking the petitioners to remove the construction beyond the sixth floor have been done without lawful authority and has no legal effect.

Later, the government appealed against the verdict. The long-pending hearing of the appeal began at the Appellate Division on July 24 this year.

When BNP was in power (1991-96), it made an abortive bid to pull down the building. Later, Awami League during its rule (1996-2001) also took an initiative to follow up the plan of its predecessors, but was restrained by the High Court order.

On the other hand, the present caretaker government in a meeting of the Advisory Council in April decided in principle to demolish the building at Bijoy Sarani intersection on Old Airport Road in the capital.

After losing the long legal battle, Rangs lawyer Barrister Rafique-ul Huq told reporters that the Supreme Court judgment was “not clear” and they would move a review petition against it. “I'm frustrated and disappointed at the court's order,” said Huq.

Attorney General Fida M Kamal conducted the case on behalf of the government.

MAINUL ON RANGS BHABAN
Public Works Adviser Mainul Hosein said the planned road connecting Bijoy Sarani and Tejgaon would now be constructed demolishing the Rangs building.

“This is not only a building, but also a monument of illegal structure,” he told reporters after the Supreme Court judgment was pronounced in the morning.

The adviser said new notice would not be served upon the owners of the Rangs Bhaban and the government would acquire the building up to the sixth floor and demolish the

entire building for the construction of the road in public interest.

The plan of the road has already been prepared by Rajuk.

“We do not do anything out of anger… We'll not be able to set all the examples, as we are an interim government. But we are cooperating with the nation,” said the adviser.

RANGS APPEALS FOR TIME
Rangs Group of Companies yesterday appealed to the government to allow 15 days for shifting its machinery and other goods from its building.

In a press statement, the company said it is impossible to shift machinery and important documents of different industries and banks with a few hours' notice.

In a verdict yesterday, the Supreme Court ordered demolition of upper portion of the building from sixth floor.

Following the verdict, Rajuk asked the owners to shift their machinery and other goods by last night and announced over microphones that the building would be demolished from today.

Rangs group said it is very loyal to law but it needs at least 15 days to move the goods and machinery.

The company said there are Tk 200 crore worth of machinery of RanksTel on 14th and 15th floors, Tk 100 crore machinery of Ranks IT on 12th floor, Rangs Pharmaceuticals on 10th floor, Bank Asia on 8th floor, Apollo Ispat on 7th floor, SQ Group on 9th floor and Shannin Group on 6th floor of the building.

It is not possible to shift all the machinery and other goods within a night, the company said.

Meanwhile, a good number of electric switches of Grameenphone had to be shifted from the Rangs Building within last night, which would disrupt Grameenphone network a lot.

The company in a statement said Grameenphone will shift the switches and restore normalcy in its network coverage within the shortest possible time.

A high official of Grameenphone last night told The Daily Star that the GP subscribers in the districts of Jamalpur, Munshiganj and Tangail, and Jhikatola, Rayerbazar and part of Dhanmondi in the capital would face network problem due to relocation of its tower and equipment from Rangs Bhaban. He hoped that the network would be restored within 72 hours.