SC extends BGMEA Building demolition deadline by 23 days

The Appellate Division on Monday extended the deadline for demolishing the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association Building in the capital by 23 days.
The 15-story BGMEA Building was illegally constructed encroaching upon the Hatirjheel Lake.
Vacation judge-in chamber, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, also fixed October 5 for hearing by a regular bench, BGMEA president Siddiqur Rahman’s petition seeking one more year to shift the BGMEA office to Uttara where Rajuk allotted a plot to it.
The BGMEA president filed the petition on August 23.
The six-month deadline for demolishing the building expires today.
The deadline was set by the apex court on March 12 after rejecting BGMEA’s petition seeking review of its order to demolish the illegally constructed building.
On Tuesday BGMEA in an affidavit informed the apex court that it paid Tk 11 crores, half of the price of 22 crore for the 110-khata land allocated by Rajuk on April 24 for establishment of the new office.
The BGMEA also informed that BGMEA paid 11 crore through an account payee cheque issued in favour of Rajuk chairman on September 7 when the Rajuk waived 50 per cent value of the land.
On April 3, 2011, the High Court Division in its verdict asked the Rajuk to demolish the building within 90 days and termed it as ‘a cancerous growth’ eclipsing the capital’s landmark lake Hatirjheel.
On June 2, 2016, the apex court upheld the High Court’s order and BGMEA was asked to dismantle its building at its own cost within the 90-day timeframe.
The apex court directed the Rajuk to demolish the building if the BGMEA noncompliant the directive and realize the cost from it.  

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net