2 Dhaka ward councillors summoned for ‘grabbing canal’

The High Court today summoned two ward councillors of Dhaka to appear before it on charge of constructing their offices by grabbing the land of a canal in Jatrabari area of Dhaka.

Kazi Habibur Rahman and Delwar Hossain, councillors of ward No-50 and 51 respectively, will have to appear before the HC on November 1 to explain the construction of the offices on the land of Deb Dholai canal.

The HC bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir Lytton came up with the order after hearing a writ petition filed by advocate Manzill Murshid on behalf of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

The HC also asked the authorities concerned of the government to take necessary steps to stop encroachment of the canal immediately and to submit a report after complying with the order in two weeks.

Manzill submitted the petition yesterday saying the ward councillors have reportedly constructed their offices by encroaching the land of the canal which a violation of law.

If the encroachment of the canal is not stopped the environment will be damaged, he said in the petition.