Supreme Court hearing on BGMEA time plea on October 5

The vacation bench of the Supreme Court has fixed October 5 for hearing the time petition over demolishing the 'BGMEA Complex' constructed at the city's Hatirjheel.

Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Hasan Foyez Siddique set the date after the time petition filed by BGMEA seeking one-year more time to shift its headquarters from Hatirjheel was placed before the court on Monday morning.

The regular appellate division bench led by Chief Justice SK Sinha will hear the petition on that day.

Advocate Kamrul Islam Siddiqui and Barrister Imtiaj Moinul Islam moved for the petition while attorney general Mahbubey Alam represented the state.

On August 31, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) had pleaded for one-year more time to shift its headquarters from Hatirjheel.

As the 6 months’ time given by the Supreme Court to demolish the building of BGMEA expires on September 11, BGMEA sought another year to vacate the building.

On March 12, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court granted BGMEA six months to demolish its complex located in Hatirjheel-Begunbari Lake, rejecting a plea of the RMG producers' seeking three years time, reports UNB.

On March 5 BGMEA lost its last legal battle to keep its structure intact on the scenic water body as the Appellate Division rejected its plea, seeking review of its judgment that upheld an earlier High Court verdict, ordering demolition of the structure. On that day, the Appellate Division described the structure as "cancer" which stands in Hatirjheel Lake.

In 2011, the High Court ordered demolition of the 16-storey building as it was constructed in defiance of relevant laws, calling it a "cancer" in the lake.

BGMEA later filed a leave to appeal petition with the Appellate Division against the High Court judgment, but the apex court on June 2, 2016, dismissed the plea as well as asked the RMG producers to demolish its headquarters at once and at its own cost.

Source: dailysun