Published : 09 Aug 2026, 06:03 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:31 AM
The Appellate Division has issued a status quo order on any construction work within the boundaries of the archaeological site at Mahasthangarh in Bogura.
The Supreme Court also granted the government permission to appeal against a 2012 High Court verdict that directed the preservation of Mahasthangarh.
A four-member Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury passed the orders after hearing the matter on Sunday.
The other members of the bench are Justice Mohammad Rezaul Haque, Justice SM Emdadul Hoque and Justice Farah Mahbub.
The government had filed a leave-to-appeal petition at the Supreme Court on Jul 2, seeking permission to challenge the High Court verdict.
Attorney General Ruhul Quddus Kazal represented the government at Sunday's hearing.
Senior lawyer Manzil Morshed appeared for Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), the organisation that filed the writ petition.
Mahasthangarh, one of Bangladesh's most important archaeological sites, is located in Bogura. The area contains the remains of the ancient city of Pundranagara and is protected as an archaeological site.
