The Supreme Court yesterday extended its August 2016 order that issued an injunction barring Ashiyan City from all activities including selling plots and publishing advertisements.

The SC also stayed last year's August 16 High Court order that scrapped an earlier HC verdict declaring the housing project in the capital's Uttara and adjacent areas illegal.

The SC also allowed the government and eight rights organisations to move two separate appeals before this court against the HC's last year's August 16 verdict.

A three-member bench of the Appellate Division SEE PAGE 4 COL 4 FROM PAGE 3

headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order following two petitions filed by the government and the eight organisations challenging the HC verdict.

Advocate Syeda Rizwana Hasan, a lawyer for the rights organisations, told The Daily Star that Ashiyan City authorities are not allowed to continue activities of their projects at Uttarkhan, Dakkhin Khan, Barua and Buthar mouzas in Dhaka following the SC order.

Following a petition filed by the organisations on December 22 of 2012 challenging the legality of the housing project, the HC on January 16, 2014 had declared the Ashiyan City housing project illegal.

Then, Ashiyan City authorities filed a petition with the HC seeking review of its January 16, 2014 verdict and following this petition the HC on August 16 last year scrapped its January 16,2014 verdict.

Later, the government and the eights organisations filed two petitions with the SC seeking stay on the HC's last years' August 16 verdict.

After hearing the petitions, the SC on August 22 last year issued an injunction barring Ashiyan City from all activities including selling plots and publishing advertisements and also stayed the HC's August 16 verdict.

Yesterday, the apex court extended its last year's August 22 order until its further order on this issue.

The rights organisations are Ain O Salish Kendra, Association for Land Reforms and Development, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon, Institute of Architects Bangladesh, Nijera Kori and Paribesh Bachao Andolon.

Dr Kamal Hossain and Barrister Fida M Kamal appeared for the rights organisations. Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Additional Attorney General Murad Reza represented the government while Advocate Kamrul Haque Siddiqui argued for Ashiyan City.