A High Court (HC) bench yesterday served a show cause notice against the construction of a CNG station at the port city's picturesque Batali Hill Railway Estate in violation of Chittagong Metropolitan Master Plan and Open Space Conservation Act, 2000.

The notice asked the authorities concerned to show cause within next three weeks as to why the permission for the construction would not be declared as “unlawful” and why the structure under construction won't be removed.

The bench comprising Justice Md Abdul Matin and Justice ATM Fazle Kabir served the notice on director generals of Bangladesh Railway and Department of Environment, Chairman of Chittagong Development Authority, secretaries to the ministries of communication, environment and forest, and housing and public works, and Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation.

The bench issued the notice in connection with a case filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) against the construction of Messers Rainbow CNG Station destroying the conserved natural site of Batali Hill.

The court fixed March 7 as the final date of hearing.