The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association on Thursday filed a petition in the Appellate Division to extend the deadline by one more year to shift from the illegal BGMEA Bhaban.On Monday, BGMEA lawyer Bivas Chandra Biswas told New Age that he was not sure when the matter would be heard by the Appellate Division’s chamber judge.On April 11, 2019, BGMEA missed the 3rd deadline set by the Appellate Division to demolish its illegal building on the Hatirjheel.BGMEA’s outgoing president Siddiqur Rahman said he attended his office in the new BGMEA Bhaban at Uttara on Monday. ‘While extending deadline for the third time last year, I gave undertaking that we would not apply for further extension of the deadline,’ he said.On April 2, 2018, a four-judge bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain extended the deadline by one more year from April 12, to demolish the illegal building.The Appellate Division had accepted BGMEA’s undertaking that it would not pray for further extension of the deadline to demolish the illegal building.After rejecting BGMEA’ review petition on March 5, 2017, the Appellate Division granted an unprecedented extension of the deadline to demolish the illegal structure.An order given by the High Court Division on April 3, 2011 required the BGMEA to demolish the illegal building within 90 days.In the event of BGMEA’s failure to demolish within the stipulated period, the High Court Division in the same order directed Rajuk to demolish the illegal building and realize the cost from BGMEA.
