The High Court on Tuesday issued a contempt of court rule against the Mayors of two city corporations in Dhaka and RAJUK Chairman for not implementing its directives over removing unauthorised structures from the roadside car parking spaces. In the rule, the HC wanted to know from the respondents to explain in four weeks as to why a contempt of court proceeding should not be initiated against them for not complying with its order delivered in July 2019.
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Dhaka North City Corporation (BNCC) Mayor Md Atiqul Islam and Chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) Md Anisur Rahman Miah have been asked to comply with the rule. The High Court bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir passed the order after hearing a contempt of court petition filed by the rights organisation Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB).
Lawyer Manzill Murshid who appeared in the court hearing on behalf of the contempt petition said, “The RAJUK chairman and Dhaka city mayors have been served a legal notice a few weeks back for implementing the HC directives. But they did not take any effective steps to this effect which amount to contempt of court.”
Following a writ petition filed by HRPB, the HC on July 3, 2019, directed the RAJUK Chairman and two Mayors to take necessary steps for removing all unauthorised structures, including shops, from the car parking spaces beside the roads in Dhaka city in six months to ease traffic congestion and to ensure free movement of people.
It also asked the authorities to publish notifications in newspapers regarding the issue. Besides, the HC directed the DSCC and DNCC to submit progress reports after complying with the directive before this court.However, the mayors of two city corporations in Dhaka and the RAJUK chairman didn’t comply with the HC directives. In this circumstance, the HRPB filed a contempt of court petition with the HC. After hearing the petition the HC issued a contempt rule on Tuesday.
