The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday gave the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) seven months time to demolish its headquarters building on Hatirjheel-Begunbari lake.The SC also said it is the last chance for the apex trade body in the apparel sector to demolish the illegal structure.The five-strong Appellate Division bench, led by acting chief justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah, passed the order after hearing a petition of the BGMEA president.Talking to Prothom Alo, BGMEA counsel Imtiaz Mainul Islam said the seven-month timeframe would be counted from 12 September last.The 16-storey office building of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is constructed in the middle of the Hatirjheel-Begunbari canal despite concerns from the green activists.In 2011, the High Court ordered the building to be demolished as it was illegally constructed.On 2 June 2016, the Appellate Division of the SC upheld a High Court order for demolishing the BGMEA building as it was constructed illegally and described the structure as a “cancer” on the lake.On 8 November, the 35-page verdict to demolish the BGMEA building was published on the Supreme Court website.In 12 March this year, the Appellate Division ordered BGMEA to demolish its building in the next six months.
