The Appellate Division on Wednesday asked the Dhaka South City Corporation not to demolish and evict the residents of Miranzilla Harijan Sweepers Colony until it hears DSCC’s appeal filed against a High Court order prohibiting eviction of the sweepers’ residents within their location.
A five-judge bench chaired by chief justice Obaidul Hassan issued the directive after taking up the sweepers’ matter for hearing in a special arrangement.
The Appellate Division earlier set July 11 to hear DSCC’ appeal that sought stay on the High Court’s directive.
The High Court asked the DSCC not to evict sweepers for 30 days. It also asked the DSCC to give a space for their residents temporarily.
Lawyer Aneek R Haque appearing for sweepers brought notice to the Appellate Division, stating that the DSCC conducted drives on July 9 and July 10 to evict sweepers in violation of the High Court’s verdict and awaiting the Appellate Division’s hearing.
DSCC’ lawyer Murad Reza told ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· that DSCC started evicting 70 per cent of sweepers for making space for grocery market.
Murad said that there were different types of religions among the 70 per cent residents of Sweepers Colony.
He also said that it was not duty for the DSCC to give space for the sweepers as the High Court directed it.
On June 13, the vacation bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Md Atabullah asked the authorities to maintain status quo for 30 days on the ongoing Dhaka South City Corporation’s drive with an escort of police force.
The drive started on June 10 to evict a section of sweepers from Miranzilla Harijan Sweepers Colony.
The court also asked the government authorities to explain in four weeks why the eviction of sweepers without their relocation and rehabilitation wouldn’t be declared illegal.
The court passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyers Monoj Kumar Bhowmick, Utpol Biswas and Aynunnahar Siddiqua in public interest.
Sweepers, who were brought to the region by the British colonial administration to work as cleaners, alleged that the DSCC mayor reassured them that only 20 houses would be demolished.
But the corporation is evicting at least 87 out of 400 families to expand the kitchen market located in the area.
The lawyers argued in the petition that the government authorities did not follow the procedure to evict the sweeper community.
They said that the government authorities were duty bound to preserve the fundamental rights of all citizens including sweepers according to the constitution.
