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The High Court on Wednesday ordered an eight-week suspension of road construction on the sand dunes of Cox’s Bazar sea beach, citing an earlier court directive to preserve the area’s natural features.
A bench comprising Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan passed the order after hearing a contempt petition and a writ petition concerning construction activities on the beach dunes.
Senior Advocate Manzil Morshed appeared for the petitioner, while Advocate Minhajul Haque Chowdhury represented the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA). Attorney General Ruhul Quddus Kazal appeared for the state.
Morshed said the court also issued a rule against four individuals, including the Cox’s Bazar deputy commissioner and the project director, over alleged non-compliance with its previous orders.
The contempt proceedings have also been adjourned for eight weeks.
The petitions were filed after reports emerged that road construction was taking place on the beach dunes despite an earlier High Court directive.
In 2011, the High Court ordered authorities to preserve the natural features of Cox’s Bazar beach and remove structures built on the sand dunes. Several structures were subsequently removed in two separate drives following court orders.
Despite those directives, Cox’s Bazar Municipality later undertook a project to construct a road through the beach dunes, Morshed said.
