DHAKA: The High Court has stayed for six months the operation of letters issued by the Dhaka Deputy Commissioner (DC) office seeking refund of compensation paid to the affected owners of lands acquired for digging canals on both sides of Kuril-Purbachal 300 feet road in the capital.

A High Court bench comprising Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Razik-Al Jalil passed the order on July 31. 

The High Court on Monday (August 5) released a certified copy of the order.

Earlier, a person named Mohammad Wakil Uddin filed the writ petition. 

Meanwhile, the High Court issued the rule alongside the stay order. 

In the Rule, the court asked the authorities concerned why the letter given by the Dhaka Deputy Commissioner's Office to M Wakil Uddin asking him to refund the additional money of compensation which was given him according to the market value after the settlement of the LA case, would not be declared unlawful.

Within four weeks, five people, including the Secretary of the Ministry of Land, Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, Rajuk Chairman, Dhaka Deputy Commissioner, have been asked to respond to the rule.

According to petitioner’s lawyer, Land was acquired for digging canals on two sides of the Kuril-Purbachal 300-feet road. On October 30, 2016, the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka set the market value of the land acquired and finalized the compensation. At the same time, according to the estimates, some of the victims are also paid compensation. The office of the Dhaka Deputy Commissioner also issued a gazette making the final settlement in this regard.

But last year, the Dhaka district administration re-fixed the market price of the land acquired and fixed the compensation. Then they see that in some cases there is an overpayment from the re-fixed market value. The DC office then sent a letter to the victims demanding refund of additional money.

BDST: 1415 HRS, AUG 7, 2019
RS/SMS