Top court upholds verdict declaring Modhumoti Model Town illegal

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has upheld its earlier verdict which declared the Modhumoti Model Town housing project in Savar’s Amin Bazaar illegal.

A seven-member bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain rejected five review pleas over its earlier decision on Thursday ending the project’s chances of gaining legal approval in the process.

According to the verdict, builders Metro Makers must repay buyers double the amount they paid for plots under the project.

The court has also directed the developers to restore the wetlands in Belamalia and Beilpur which were filled up to develop the project within six months.

Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) challenged the project in the High Court on August 14, 2004, and the court on July 27, 2005, declared the project at Amin bazar unauthorised, illegal and against public interest, bdnews24.com reported.

The Appellate Division subsequently upheld the High Court’s decision on August 7, 2012.

Later, Metro Makers and plot buyers filed a total of five review petitions with the top court in the space of two years.

The Appellate Division scrapped the pleas after a hearing on Thursday.