High Court halts Jamuna Resort contract cancellation notice

The High Court has frozen for three months a notice cancelling Bangladesh Bridges Authority’s concession agreement with Jamuna Resorts Ltd (JRL) on lease of the resort land near Bangabandhu Bridge.

The bench of justices Nozrul Islam Chowdhury and Amir Hossain issued an order to this effect on Thursday on a petition filed by the JRL managing director.
 
The court asked the Bridges Authority not to obstruct the company’s business activities in the resort.
 
Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq stood for JRL at the hearing and he was assisted by Barrister Margub Kabir.
 
After the order, Kabir said now there was no ‘legal bar’ to continuing the JRL’s business operations JRL.
 
JRL had leased 1,200 acres of land for 30 years in Tangail district east of Bangabandhu Bridge on the river Jamuna from the Bridges Authority on Nov 21, 1999 to develop the resort.
 
The Bridges Authority on Apr 1 served a notice cancelling the agreement ‘for not clearing dues and signing the certificate of satisfaction’.
 
JRL moved Dhaka Judge’s Court against the decision. The court on Apr 2 stayed the notice after a primary hearing of the petition but turned it down on Apr 22 following full hearing.
 
JRL appealed against the agreement cancellation decision at the High Court.