HC questions legality over Gulshan park management deal

The High Court has issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why the management agreement between the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) and Gulshan Youth Club for the management of Gulshan Centre Park in the capital should not be declared illegal.

The HC bench of Justice Md Iqbal Kabir and Justice SM Saiful Islam issued the rule on Monday following a writ petition filed by some environmentalists and human rights activists.

Professor Dr Adil Muhammad Khan, Firoz Ahmed, Amirul Razib and Syeda Shaheen Mahbub filed the writ petition. Syed Mahbubul Alam Tahin, Nishat Mahmood and Muhammad Awlad Hossain took part in the hearing for the writ petitioners.

The court directed the authorities concerned to respond to the rule within four weeks. The Ministry of Housing and Public Works, RAJUK, Bangladesh Police and the Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have been made respondents to the rule.

According to the petition, RAJUK signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) allowing the Gulshan Youth Club to collect fees from citizens for using the public park and playground. The petitioners argued that commercialising a public space and charging entry or usage fees directly violates the Open Space, Playground, Park, and Wetland Conservation Act, 2000.

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The petition further highlighted that the Gulshan Youth Club has constructed unauthorised structures inside the park premises, defying the approved master plan, statutory conservation laws, and clear directives previously issued by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

After hearing the arguments, the High Court issued the rule questioning why the fee collection and illegal construction under the RAJUK-Gulshan Youth Club agreement should not be declared unlawful.

However, the court ruled on why a committee composed of independent experts should not be formed to identify all unauthorised structures erected in violation of the park's master plan.