The BGMEA building stands in the midst of Hatirjheel lake in Dhaka as the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday allowed six months’ time for Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association to demolish its unauthorised 15-storey building. — New Age file photo
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday allowed six months’ time for Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association to demolish their building illegally constructed in Hatirjheel lake in Dhaka.
A three-member bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha set the time frame responding to a petition filed by the BGMEA seeking three years to relocate its headquarters from the 15-storey BGMEA Bhaban and demolish the building.
The petition was filed on March 8, three days after the Appellate Division rejected BGMEA’s petition for a review of its verdict that had upheld a High Court judgement ordering the demolition of BGMEA Bhaban illegally constructed in Hatirjheel.
The Apex Court also asked the trade body to file a petition by March 9 mentioning the time it needed to relocate and demolish the building.
On April 3, 2011, the High Court, terming the building a cancerous growth in Hatirjheel, ordered the government to demolish the BGMEA building within 90 days.
On June 2, 2016, the Appellate Division rejected the association’s petition filed in May 2013 challenging the High Court judgement.
On December 8, 2016, the association filed the petition for a review of the June 2, 2016 order of the Appellate Division upholding the High Court judgement.
On March 5, 2017, the Apex Court rejected the review petition.
Source: New Age