Bangladesh, Sept. 2 -- The High Court has ordered an eight-week suspension of road construction on the sand dunes of Cox's Bazar sea beach amid allegations that the project violates an earlier court directive to protect the area's natural features.

A bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan issued the order after hearing a contempt petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) and a separate writ petition brought by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA).

The court also issued a rule and kept the contempt proceedings adjourned for eight weeks.

The petitions followed media reports that construction had continued on the beach dunes despite a 2011 High Court ruling directing authorities ...