Bangla Press Desk: The High Court has directed the Rangamati deputy commissioner and the director general of the Survey of Bangladesh to conduct a boundary survey of Kaptai Lake according to its actual map and submit a list of illegal occupants and structures within four months.The court passed the order on Sunday after hearing a supplementary application filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) over alleged illegal occupation and pollution of the lake.
A High Court bench comprising Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan also fixed 6 January 2027 for submitting the survey report.
The court directed the Rangamati deputy commissioner and the director general of the Survey of Bangladesh to submit the report, including the names and addresses of owners of illegal structures located within the actual boundary of Kaptai Lake.
The case originated from media reports alleging pollution and illegal occupation of Kaptai Lake. In response, HRPB filed a writ petition in the public interest, following which the High Court issued a rule on 17 October, 2022 and directed authorities to conduct a survey and remove illegal occupants.
According to HRPB, eviction efforts later highlighted the need for an accurate survey to determine who were actually occupying the lake illegally.
The Rangamati deputy commissioner had informed the court about the need for assistance from the Survey of Bangladesh to conduct the survey. Against this backdrop, HRPB filed the supplementary application last Thursday seeking an order for a boundary survey based on the official map of Kaptai Lake and preparation of a list of illegal occupants.
During the hearing, HRPB Senior Advocate Manzill Murshid said Kaptai Lake was created for the establishment of a power plant, but many people were now illegally occupying and polluting the lake.
He said such occupation and pollution could potentially affect power generation, while local authorities had failed to take specific action despite media reports on the issue.
“Many illegal occupants are now claiming ownership, making it difficult to evict them. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a survey to identify the actual illegal occupants,” Murshid told the court.
Sanjoy Mondal assisted Manzill Murshid during the hearing, while Deputy Attorney General Nur Mohammad Azmi represented the government.
