Contempt of court plea filed against 7 people including Mayor Atiqul
The petition also sought compensation of about Tk 34 crore for the Biharis for conducting the eviction drive
A contempt of court plea has been filed with the Appellate Division of Supreme Court against seven people, including Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayor Atiqul Islam.
According to the plea, the DNCC carried out an eviction drive despite an order from the Appellate Division that stayed the eviction drive of Biharis in Mirpur area of the capital.
The petition also sought compensation of about Tk 34 crore for the Biharis for conducting the eviction drive.
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Lawyer Sagir Hossain Leon, representing the Biharis, confirmed the application to Jago News on Monday.
The petition was filed in the Appellate Division Chamber Judge's Court by the general secretary of the Urdu-speaking youth-student movement Maksud Alam, vice-president Md Jibon and Nader Islam Annu on Sunday.
In the petition, Mayor Atiqul Islam, chief executive officer of the DNCC, chief engineer, police commissioner, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Mirpur zone deputy police commissioner, DNCC ward no 5 councillor Abdur Rauf Nannu, and Pallabi police station officer-in-charge (OC) have been named as defendants.
Lawyer Leon said, "The DNCC had tried to evict the Bihari camps in Mirpur earlier. On November 23, 2020, we appealed to the Appellate Division Chamber Judge's Court for a ban on evictions. The court then directed both the parties to maintain the status quo till May 2. But the DNCC vandalised the Bihari camps in Mirpur last Thursday without complying with the court order.
On January 23, various organisations of Biharis organised human chains in protest at the camps.
At the protest, Mostaq Ahmed, president of the Welfare Mission of Biharis, said, "They are calling our camps illegal and demolishing them. The Appellate Division had ordered the DNCC, DMP Commissioner and others concerned to wait till May 2. They also refused to obey the order of the Appellate Division. The magistrate did not want to see a copy of the order. We have tried to uphold the court order."
"We will protest evictions everywhere. We will not accept the DNCC defying the court," he added.
Shahid Ali Bablu, general secretary of the Urdu-speaking People's Youth Rehabilitation Movement, said, "Since the DNCC has vandalised our houses without complying with the court order, we will not move. So far, the DNCC has demolished about 300 houses and 400 shops in our camp."
Imran Khan, a resident of Mirpur New Society Camp, said the eviction drive was being carried out to widen the road. However, the DNCC is demolishing more establishments than it needs for the road.
