The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld its 2012 verdict declaring Modhumoti Model Town, a housing project raised in Savar Aminbazar area, illegal, reports BSS. The Appellate Division full bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order, scraping a plea to review the earlier judgement. The Appellate Division in 2012 said housing company Metro Makers and Developer Limited raised the project on wetland without taking necessary permissions from Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) and Department of Environment.
According to the verdict, builders Metro Makers must repay buyers double the amount they paid for plots under the project. It had also directed the company to restore within six months the wetland in Bilamalia and Boilarpur moujas of Savar where the project was raised. Work of Modhumoti Model Town started in that area in 2003 and Bangladesh
Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) filed a writ with the High Court in
2004 challenging the legality of the project. After holding primary hearing on the writ, the High Court issued stay on the development of the project. The High Court on July 27, 2005, declared the project illegal.