HC orders survey of Kaptai Lake's boundary, list of illegal occupants

The High Court has directed the authorities to conduct a survey to determine the actual boundary of Kaptai Lake in Rangamati and submit a list of illegal occupants to the court. The court also ordered that the names and addresses of owners of illegal structures within the lake be included in the report.

The order was issued by the High Court bench of Justice J B M Hasan and Justice Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan on Sunday, August 16, after hearing a supplementary petition. Senior lawyer Manjil Morshed argued for the petitioner.

According to the court's directive, the Rangamati Deputy Commissioner and the Director General of the Survey Department must conduct a boundary survey following the original map of Kaptai Lake. The survey must identify illegal encroachments and structures within the lake's boundaries and submit a report with the names and addresses of those involved.

The High Court has instructed that the survey be completed within four months and set January 6, 2027, as the date for submitting the report.

The directive followed a public interest writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) after media reports that parts of Kaptai Lake were being illegally occupied and polluted. The High Court had earlier issued a rule on October 17, 2022, in response to that petition, and later the supplementary petition was filed to conduct a survey and identify illegal occupants.

Lawyer Manjil Morshed said many illegal occupants of Kaptai Lake are now claiming ownership of the land, creating complications in eviction proceedings. Determining the actual boundary and identifying illegal occupants through a survey would enable effective steps to resolve the issue.