Arafat Hasan: The High Court issued a rule yesterday asking the authorities concerned to explain why they should not be directed to restore the Gabkhan Channel in Jhalakathi to its original condition through removing encroachments.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam issued the rule following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Kazi Mynul Hassan, reports The Daily Star.
The lawyer requested the High Court to issue a rule asking authorities concerned to explain why establishment and construction of the illegal dock at Gabkhan channel should not be declared illegal.
The shipping secretary, deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Jhalakathi and joint director (Port) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), Barisal Port authorities were made respondents to the rule.
He submitted the petition to the High Court on September 9 after The Daily Star published a report on the same day titled, ‘Gabkhan Channel: Narrowed by illegal dock’.
The report stated that a part of the century-old channel has turned into a temporary dock in Jhalakathi Sadar for loading and unloading construction materials for a nearby highway. As a result, the 18km canal, the country’s only man-made naval route, has become narrowed, disrupting vessel movement.
Known as the “Suez Canal of Bangladesh”, the Gabkhan channel connects Jhalakathi and Pirojpur, two southern districts. Trade vessels, including international ones, sail through it on a daily basis.