The High Court (HC) on Monday declared illegal the under-construction residences of the speaker and deputy speaker in the open space on the western side of the Sangsad Bhaban.

Officials of the Housing and Public Works Ministry told The Daily Star the government will appeal today to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court against the HC order.

Experts said the government is also distorting Louis Kahn's 1973 masterpeice design by taking up a massive construction work on and around late president Ziaur Rahman's grave nearby. The project covering four acres of land is to cost the national exchequer more than Tk 26 crore.

The previous Awami League (AL) government had first come up with the idea of building the residences of the speaker and deputy speaker in the parliament complex. Its plan was stalled in the face of widespread protests.

The BNP-led coalition government ignored all protests to launch construction work of the two residences on 1.3 acres of land at a cost of Tk 2.88 crore.

According to officials of the Institute of Architects, Bangladesh (IAB), one

of the greatest blows to the parliament complex came when the AL government demolished the Meteorological Office building and constructed the Bangladesh-China Friendship Centre.

Besides, the project on Zia's grave, the bridge over the adjacent Crescent Lake and the tall NAM apartment buildings in front of the parliament complex have contributed to destruction of the landscape in the whole area, experts at the IAB said.

General Secretary of the IAB Sanaul Haque said every successive government has tampered with Louis Kahn's design in one way or the other but each tried to justify it.

"This structure is a national icon known throughout the world as a masterpiece of modern architecture. It earned a lot of prestige for the country abroad," said Sanaul.

Meanwhile, sources in the Housing and Public Works Ministry said plans are now underway to 'launch a complete interior renovation project' for the main parliament building.

IAB officials said the government should form a committee to protect the national heritage.