High Court Orders Eight-Week Halt to Cox's Bazar Beach Road Construction
The High Court has ordered an eight-week halt to the construction of a road on the sand dunes of Cox's Bazar sea beach. Concurrently, a contempt of court case regarding the matter has been adjourned for the same period.
In a significant legal development regarding environmental protection in Bangladesh, the High Court has officially ordered an eight-week suspension on the construction of a road across the sand dunes of the Cox's Bazar sea beach. This judicial directive aims to address ongoing concerns about unauthorized development within a nationally recognized and protected ecological zone.
The legal proceedings involve several prominent legal and administrative figures. The bench responsible for this order comprises Justice J B M Hasan and Justice Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan. Additionally, the proceedings saw legal arguments presented by lawyer Minhajul Haque Chowdhury, senior advocate Manzil Murshid, Ruhul Kuddus Kajol, and Noor Mohammad Azmi.
During the court proceedings, lawyer Minhajul Haque Chowdhury detailed the legal protections governing the area. He stated that the Cox's Bazar sea beach is declared an ecologically critical area, or ECA. Consequently, he emphasized that obtaining clearance from the Department of Environment is a mandatory prerequisite before initiating any major construction work within this designated zone.
Minhajul Haque Chowdhury further highlighted violations of existing legislation concerning the coastline. According to the law, construction work is strictly prohibited within three hundred meters of the sea beach. Despite these established legal restrictions, authorities have proceeded with the implementation of a project to construct a road directly through the sensitive sand dunes.
Providing further historical context to the ongoing judicial scrutiny, senior advocate Manzil Murshid referenced previous legal actions concerning the coastal region. He noted that back in 2010, a public interest litigation writ petition was filed specifically to halt illegal occupations and the construction of various structures on the Cox's Bazar sea beach.
Following the hearings on that 2010 petition, the High Court issued a directive in 2011 instructing relevant authorities to maintain the natural characteristics of the sea beach and to remove all structures that had been built upon the sand dunes. In the current legal context, the ongoing contempt of court case tied to these matters has been formally adjourned for eight weeks alongside the new construction halt.
