A legal notice has been served to halt ongoing activities of the Bashundhara Riverview project in Dhaka’s Keraniganj, which is operating without approval from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).
Three Supreme Court lawyers, including Md Obaidullah Al Mamun, sent the notice on Tuesday.
The notice was addressed to seven officials, including the housing and public works secretary, Rajuk chairman, chief town planner, chief executive officer, and the managing director of East West Properties Ltd.
It demands legal action against building owners who have constructed structures without Rajuk approval or in violation of approved designs and calls for an investigation into the legitimacy and layout approvals of the project and other housing schemes in Keraniganj.
The lawyers warned that legal proceedings will be initiated if these measures are not taken within 15 days.
According to the notice, East‑West Properties Ltd, a subsidiary of Bashundhara Group, has been “completely ignoring the mandatory legal framework” on urban planning and development. It alleges the project is being marketed, promoted, and sold to the public despite lacking Rajuk approval.
The notice describes this as “systematic, widespread and ongoing illegal activity” amounting to “fraud and dishonest commercial practices,” posing a “serious threat” to planned urbanisation, environmental sustainability, and public safety.
It further terms the authorities’ failure to act as “administrative negligence,” pointing out that while Rajuk conducts drives against illegal construction elsewhere in Dhaka, the lack of enforcement in Keraniganj raises “serious questions” about equality before the law and administrative neutrality.
Prior to the notice, the lawyers submitted an application to Rajuk Chairman Md Reazul Islam on Monday, noting that Bashundhara Riverview project is absent from Rajuk’s list of approved housing projects.
The application also flagged numerous other housing schemes in Keraniganj operating illegally without Rajuk’s layout or design approvals, urging their immediate closure and legal action against non‑compliant owners.
