Offices get more time to vacate BGMEA building

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Bangla Tribune Report
Published : 14:51, Apr 18, 2019 | Updated : 17:30, Apr 18, 2019

A general view of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) building in Dhaka. PHOTO/Sazzad HossainRajdhani Unnayan Katripakkha (RAJUK) has opened the multi-storied office building of the top apparel business body in order to give the offices there another chance to vacate with their belongings.
The capital development authority has given the offices at the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) building till 3 pm, Thursday (Apr 18) to vacate, said RAJUK Chief Engineer and Hatirjheel Project Director ASM Raihanul Kabir.
RAJUK sealed off the complex that was built in violation of the Wetlands Protection Act on Tuesday after giving the organisations the building housed an ultimatum to evacuate by 7 pm.
However, since many organisations were unable to do so, they wrote to RAJUK after which the building was opened on Thursday.
In April 2018, the Supreme Court ordered the BGMEA building be demolished. According to the order, the building was to be demolished sometime after April 12 this year.
The 15-storey building stands on a critical spot in Dhaka, blocking the water flow between Hatirjheel lake and Begunbari canal; and has been described by the Supreme Court as “a cancer in the Hatirjheel project.”
The High Court ordered the BGMEA to move forward with demolition work in April 2011. The association filed a leave to appeal against the verdict which was later dismissed by the top court.
In June 2016, the Appellate Division upheld the verdict ordering the demolition of the structure and told the BGMEA to bear the cost of demolition.
The RMG trade body lost its final legal battle on Mar 5, 2017, when the Appellate Division threw out a petition for a review of the verdict.
Later, the association sought a year’s extension to the latest deadline to demolish the building.
Following the plea, the Supreme Court, in April 2018, granted BGMEA one more year to demolish its office building.
The court had ordered the association to submit an undertaking with a condition that the BGMEA will not seek another extension after the one it currently applied for expires.

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