DHAKA: The High Court Sunday ordered the government to stop all kinds of encroachment, earth filling and construction of structures on the Karnaphuli river in Chittagong for next three months, as river gobbling goes on recklessly.

It also issued a rule upon government to explain within three weeks as to why it should not be directed to remove all structures from the river.

An HC bench comprising Justice AHM Shamsuddin and Justice Sheikh Mohammad Jakir passed the orders in response to a writ petition filed by advocates Assaduzzaman Siddique, Sorwar Ahad Chowdhury and Ekhlas Uddin Bhuiyan on behalf of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

The High court also asked Chittagong`s deputy commissioner and Land Department’s director-general to complete delimitation of the river area and report the compliance within six months.

The ministries of Land, Finance and Water Resources, the Planning Commission, the Department of Environment, LGRD secretary, Chittagong City Corporation Mayor, the chairman of BIWTA, Chittagong deputy commissioner and police commissioner have been made defendants and respondents to the rule.

Lawyer of the plaintiff Advocate Manzill Morshed told the court that the Karnaphuli keeps Chittagong seaport active. “If the encroachment and construction continue, the river will face extinction and the country`s economy will be affected.”

Deputy Attorney-General Nazrul Islam Talukder stood on behalf of the government in the case.

BDST: 1645 HRS, 18 JULY 2010