Right to Information Act 2009 provides that, it is the legal right of every citizen to obtain accurate and correct information. Exercising this legal right, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) on 8 July, 2009 issued a letter to the Chairman of RAJUK (Town Improvement Authority) demanding to view the detailed report relating to the construction of BGMEA Bhaban over the Begunbari canal located in the commercial zone of Karwan Bazar beside Pan Pacific Sonargaon hotel.

Focusing on the importance of having wetlands and open space in the city to maintain ecological balance, the letter stated that due to unplanned urbanization and illegal encroachments of land the number of wetlands is decreasing day by day and the City’s environment and ecology is under constant threat.

It is alleged that the road that leads to BGMEA Bhaban has been constructed over the Begunbari canal and such construction is restricting the natural flow of the water of the canal. Meanwhile, in the year 2004-05, BUET was consulted to give directions on the construction of the road in an environmental friendly way by preserving the original state of the canal. Newspaper reports claim that statistics provided by BUET shows that BGMEA Bhaban restricting the flow of water in the canal. Under such backdrop, the newspaper also reports that there is no approval for the construction of BGMEA Bhaban. Under such circumstances, BELA demanded a detailed report regarding the approval of the construction of the BGMEA Bhaban within 20 days as prescribed under Section 9 of the Right to Information Act (RTI), 2009.