NHA evicts residents of New Colony 'flouting HC stay'

A section of the residents of New Colony in the capital's Lalmatia alleged that they had been evicted unlawfully and left homeless by the National Housing Authority (NHA) yesterday, violating a stay order of the High Court, and demolished their buildings.

The residents claimed they have stay order against any demolition and there was a date of hearing in court on January 18 which was shifted to January 21 but NHA did not follow the order.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

They said NHA along with law enforcing agencies started demolishing buildings 9, 13 and 15 around 10:00am. A group of musclemen also took part in the drive.

Residents said the authority did not give them time to evacuate.

There are seven buildings in the colony where 144 families live. The families got the allotment of the flats from government for members being in the government service.

Now the government has taken a plan to build new buildings, which are being protested by a group of the residents, said some residents of the area.

leaving them homeless. Though the residents of the three buildings claimed they had a High Court stay order against the demolition, National Housing Authority officials said they did not have any legal barrier to carryout the drive. Photo: Star

This group went to the court and was fighting legally.

However, an NHA official said they did not have any legal barrier to carryout the drive and it was conducted in front of two magistrates and as per their directions.

He said, on Monday, they informed the residents to evacuate their buildings, which was announced through loud speaker.

No musclemen were used during the drive, he added.