Dhaka: The High Court (HC) on Wednesday issued a rule asking officials concerned to explain in four weeks as to why it shall not direct them to protect and preserve 'Nasiruddin Smrity Bhaban' as a heritage under Department Of Archaeology.

A High Court division bench comprising Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Mohammad Ullah passed the order after holding primary hearing on a writ filed in this regard.

The court ordered officials including secretaries to home and cultural affairs ministries, director general of Department Of Archaeology and Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor to submit their explanations in four weeks.

The 127-year-old house of Mohammad Nasiruddin, who was the editor of the monthly Shawgat and founder of the weekly Begum, situated on Sharat Gupta Road in Narinda area under Gendaria Police Station in the capital. His daughter and Begum editor Nurzahan Begum and her husband litterateur Rokanuzzaman Khan Dada Bhai used to live in this house.

Advocate Eunus Ali Akond filed the writ on behalf of Flora Nasrin Khan, daughter of Nurzahan Begum, a pioneer for women journalists, after sending legal notice to those officials in this regard.