Ban on 3 housing projects built by occupying Savar's Bamni canal

The High Court has issued a temporary halt to all activities of three housing projects for illegally occupying and filling the Bamni canal in Savar upazila of Dhaka.

The projects are Nur City, SA Housing, and Sugandha Housing.

The court's directive comes in response to a writ petition filed by environmental and rights groups, including the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), Nijera Kori, and the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD). 

The High Court bench consisting of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah passed the order on Sunday.

The petition alleges that the housing projects are encroaching upon the canal and its surrounding protected areas, including agricultural land and water bodies, without proper approvals.

The court issued a rule upon government officials, seeking an explanation for their inaction in protecting the Bamni Canal and surrounding areas.

It has directed relevant authorities, including Rajuk, the Department of Environment, and the Water Development Board, to respond to the rule within four weeks.

Besides, the court instructed Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk)'s chairman, the Department of Environment's director general, the Bangladesh Water Development Board's director general, and Dhaka's deputy commissioner to report on the land area of Bamni canal filled by housing companies.

In the petition, petitioners raised concerns about the detrimental impact of the housing projects on the canal's ecological health and its crucial role in local agriculture and fish production. The canal is now on the verge of dying due to man-made multifaceted activities, they added. 

According to BELA, the Bamni Canal once served as a vital connection between the Karnapara Canal and the Turag River, playing a crucial role in the local ecosystem. The housing projects were filling the water bodies identified in the Detailed Area Plan (DAP).