The apex court on Thursday cleared the way for the government to dismantle structures illegally built along Sugandhya Point of Cox's Bazar sea beach.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, scrapped a High Court order that stayed effectiveness of a government notification for demolishing the structures.
The apex court passed the order after hearing an appeal petition filed by land ministry and other authorities concerned, challenging the HC rule and order.
Appellants' lawyer Manzill Murshid told the media that 52 persons have built structures without permission from the authorities for running business at Sugandhya Point in Kalatali area.
The Cox's Bazar Development Authority on April 10, 2018, issued a notice for tearing them down.
Fifty-two owners of the structures had filed a writ petition with the HC challenging the demolition notice.
They said in the writ petition that the Cox's Bazar's municipality trade licence authorities had given them permission to set up the structures.
Following the petition, the HC on April 16, 2018, issued a rule, questioning the notice and stay its effectiveness.
Later on, the offices concerned of the government, including land ministry, filed the appeal with the Appellate Division, challenging the HC rule and stay order, Mr Murshid said.
During Thursday's hearing, he told the SC that the HC and SC in separate judgements earlier ruled that no structures can be built near the sea beach.
Cox's Bazar sea beach has been declared an ecologically critical area, he said, adding that some unscrupulous businessmen have built unauthorised structures, violating the verdicts.
Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokan appeared in the court on behalf of the writ petitioners.
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