CHATTOGRAM, April 21, 2025 (BSS) - Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) launched a demolition operation against a multi-stored building which is being constructed illegally by cutting down a hill in the northern part of city’s Askar Dighi today.
 
The developer organization Swapnil Family Owners is constructing three separate buildings for 92 families at the “Grindledge Bank Hill” area near SS Khaled Road in Askar Dighi Par area.

CDA Chairman Engineer Nurul Karim, along with other senior officials, visited the operation site.

The 127-foot high hill was partially owned by a group of 92 individuals, including local businessmen Sajal Chowdhury, Khokon Dhar, Himel Dash, Subhash Nath, Ranjit Kumar Dey, and Rupak Sengupta through the purchase of the building construction part.

After purchasing the land in 2019, the developers had obtained CDA's approval on April 13, 2023 from building construction committee for a three-basement and 17-story building including three basement levels.
 
However, the approval came with strict conditions; CDA imposed 87 conditions, including not cutting down the hill.

In addition, the approval was conditional on the construction of the building without causing any damage to the hill. But the building owners, not complying with these conditions of the CDA, cut down the hill.

CDA officials allege that the conditions were blatantly ignored by the developer.
 
The developers had erected high tin fences around the site, allegedly to conceal the illegal hill-cutting.

In addition, construction work began on the entire site without complying with the conditions.

 CDA Special Magistrate (Joint District and Sessions Judge) Muhammad Nazrul Islam said that the building owners filed a writ petition in the High Court on April 30, 2024, after the CDA ordered them to stop construction of their building due to the damage caused by cutting the hill.

The developers filed a writ petition at the High Court on 30 April 2024, challenging the order.

The High Court granted a stay on CDA's directive, allowing construction to continue. However, the CDA sought a stay order to the Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division, which suspended the High Court's ruling for eight weeks following a hearing on 20 April.

Speaking to reporters during the demolition, CDA's Special Magistrate Nazrul Islam said,

"We have started this eviction operation in line with the higher court's order.

The construction caused environmental damage by cutting the hill, and we are now proceeding to demolish the illegal structure."