Those supposed to protect port acting as its destroyers: Manzill Murshid

"Unauthorised structures on the Karnaphuli are not being demolished because those supposed to protect the port are acting as its destroyers."

These remarks were made by Advocate Manzill Murshid as the chief guest at the premiere of a documentary film titled 'Kaler Dhruvatara Advocate Manzill Murshid' at the Chittagong Theatre Institute on Tuesday, February 5.

He said, "Over the last 16 years, we have won seven cases to protect the Karnaphuli. The Karnaphuli river is being filled up, and the number of encroachers keeps increasing because, with the support of the port authorities, the encroachers repeatedly file cases on the same grounds. If the people of Chittagong do not unite to resist these encroachers, one day the Karnaphuli will become a dead river."

The documentary film, produced by Nagordola Films, chronicles the trajectory of over three and a half hundred public interest litigation cases and his biography.

Presided over by Engineer Mozaffar Hossain, President of the Bangladesh Environment Forum, and hosted by Dilruba Khanam Chhuti, the event's welcome speech was delivered by documentary maker Aliur Rahman. He stated that Manzill Murshid has established a lasting milestone by conducting public interest litigation at his own expense, and other lawyers should follow his example.

The premier show's inaugurator, former Chittagong City Corporation Mayor Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury, said that political and administrative failures have led to increased encroachment on the Karnaphuli in Chittagong, and an aesthetically beautiful city formed naturally is being pushed to the peak of air pollution. This is unacceptable in any way. The keynote speaker at the event was Ekushey Padak-winning journalist and columnist Abul Momen. He said the increase in bad elements in society is currently due to administrative weakness and social decay. Advocate Manjil Morshed continues to work for the country from his own position, and we should follow his example.

Speakers at the event included Chittagong Reporters' Forum President Kazi Abul Mansur, Channel i Chittagong Divisional Bureau Chief Chowdhury Farid, Chittagong History and Culture Research Center Vice President Engineer Mirza Mohammad Ismail, Chittagong University Theatre Department Professor Subir Mohajan, human rights activists Tapas Hore, Mithul Dasgupta, Pritilata Trust General Secretary Bishwajit Deb, victim's sister in a case Musfika Mostafa, Karnaphuli River Sampan Boatmen Welfare Association Federation President SM Pear Ali, Vice President Zafar Ahmad, Joint General Secretary Lokman Dayal, among others.