Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has put on hold the lease notice it issued, in defiance of an order of the Supreme Court's Appellate Division, for a cattle market at Aftabnagar in the capital for Eid-ul-Azha. As a result, no Qurbani animal market will be held at Aftabnagar.

DSCC lawyer Barrister Mesbahur Rahman Shuvo gave this information to the High Court bench concerned on Thursday (6 June). The bench is made up of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque.

Earlier, a notice signed by the city corporation's chief estate officer, Kaiser Mohammad Farabi, had set 6 June as the date for submitting tenders for the Aftabnagar animal market. Lawyers for the writ petitioners said this amounted to contempt of court.

On Wednesday (5 June), lawyer SM Shamim Hossain said they would bring the fresh lease notice to the court's attention, and it was said that this had been done accordingly.

Before that, on Monday (3 June), the Appellate Division upheld the High Court's order staying the city corporation's decision to hold an animal market at Aftabnagar for Eid-ul-Azha. Lawyers said this meant no animal market could be held at Aftabnagar at the coming Eid.

The order was given after a hearing by a four-member Appellate bench led by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan.

Advocate Shah Manzurul Hoque and Advocate SM Shamim Hossain appeared for the writ that day, and Barrister Azmalul Hossain KC for the market's lease-holder, Nurul Islam.

Advocate Shah Manzurul Hoque said Aftabnagar is a planned residential area, and the Appellate Division upheld the High Court order on that basis.

On 8 May, the High Court had stayed the lease notice for a cattle market at Aftabnagar for Eid-ul-Azha, because Aftabnagar is a residential area. The market's lease-holder, Nurul Islam, then applied to the Appellate Division against the order.

The writ challenging the decision to hold a cattle market at Aftabnagar was filed in the High Court by Mohammad Alamgir Hossain Dhali, president of Jahurul Islam City Society, and its general secretary SM Kamal.

On 4 April, the chief estate officer of the Dhaka North and South City Corporations (DSCC) issued a lease notice for Qurbani animal markets for Eid-ul-Azha 2024. The writ challenged that notice, naming the local government secretary, the Dhaka North and South City Corporations and others as respondents.

Under section 3(2) and the First Schedule of the Local Government (City Corporation) Act 2009, Aftabnagar (Eastern Housing) falls under ward 37 of Badda police station, which is part of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.