STAFF CORRESPONDENT

The Supreme Court yesterday blasted the government for acquiring a piece of land at Moghbazar in Dhaka as a vested property for the BCS Administration Multiple Welfare Cooperative Society without rehabilitating its current occupant.

“The issue of settlers has to be considered and disposed of first before their land is acquired. If we allow such acquisition of the land, then what is the necessity of this court,” said Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique.

Siddique’s comments came while presiding over a three-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC during the hearing of the leave to appeal petition filed by the government challenging a High Court verdict on the matter.

In 2012, the HC had declared illegal and scrapped the acquisition of 19.5 katha of land in Moghbazar, which was mutated in the name of one Sirajul Haq based on the power of attorney in 1946 by its original owner, one Birendranath Roy who had gone to India.

Haq, a freedom fighter commander, has died.

The HC verdict came following a writ petition filed by his wife Maleka Siraj and their five sons and daughter challenging the land ministry’s decision to acquire the plot in favour of the BCS Administration Multiple Welfare Cooperative Society.

Such acquisition of the land will violate the people’s constitutional right to their properties, the apex court said yesterday.

Following a government’s time prayer, the SC fixed next Sunday for further hearing of the leave to appeal petition.