River encroachment

BIWTA changes eviction drive plan for N’ganj

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has backed down from its earlier decision to demolish 57 illegal structures in Bandar area under Narayanganj district. Sources concerned said a joint team of the BIWTA and the Narayanganj district administration had an earlier plan to conduct the eviction drive today (Sunday), but the scheduled plan has been changed now. The scheduled plan to conduct the eviction drive was changed coinciding with a visit to the area by State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury on Friday last, the sources said.

They said the BIWTA earlier prepared a list of 57 illegal structures, including 1 to 9 storey residential buildings and shopping structures, which were constructed after grabbing a major portion of the Shitalakhya River. Local influential quarters along with several political figures continued opposing the BIWTA decision to demolish the structures, the sources added.  They further said the BIWTA backed down from its earlier decision due mainly to the pressure from local political quarters.

However, the BIWTA has now decided to conduct its eviction drive in relatively less important areas where there is very negligible number of illegal and tiny structures covering the Haripur Power Plant area near the Kanchpur bridge, the sources said.

Asked yesterday, Masud Kamal, joint director of Narayanganj River Port said to The Independent, “We didn’t stop our eviction drive. It will continue in phases.” In reply to a query, he said there is no relation of the state minister for shipping with the eviction drive in question. Rather, it was his private visit to attend a programme here, he noted. “We’ll begin eviction drive from the Haripur Power Plant area and it’ll continue until the illegal structures are evicted alongside the riverbank of Shitalakhya,” Kamal said.

According to the sources, the local influential people have grabbed the Shitalakhya riverbank by way of establishing hundreds of makeshift structures, residential buildings, markets and business installations illegally. Earlier, the BIWTA demolished at least 113 illegal structures, including three six-storey buildings, five multi-storey buildings and a semi-concrete yarn factory. Besides, it did also evict the land grabbers along the Shitalakshya River and also knocked down several makeshift structures from the foreshore.

They also removed sand and bricks during the eviction drive. A total of 134 structures, including the makeshift ones were listed for partial demolition as those were built illegally by way of encroaching the river, the officials said, adding that the owners of five of the structures already obtained stay orders from court against conducting such eviction.

River encroachment

BIWTA changes eviction drive plan for Nganj

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has backed down from its earlier decision to demolish 57 illegal structures in Bandar area under Narayanganj district. Sources concerned said a joint team of the BIWTA and the Narayanganj district administration had an earlier plan to conduct the eviction drive today (Sunday), but the scheduled plan has been changed now. The scheduled plan to conduct the eviction drive was changed coinciding with a visit to the area by State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury on Friday last, the sources said. They said the BIWTA earlier prepared a list of 57 illegal structures, including 1 to 9 storey residential buildings and shopping structures, which were constructed after grabbing a major portion of the Shitalakhya River. Local influential quarters along with several political figures continued opposing the BIWTA decision to demolish the structures, the sources added. They further said the BIWTA backed down from its earlier decision due mainly to the pressure from local political quarters. However, the BIWTA has now decided to conduct its eviction drive in relatively less important areas where there is very negligible number of illegal and tiny structures covering the Haripur Power Plant area near the Kanchpur bridge, the sources said. Asked yesterday, Masud Kamal, joint director of Narayanganj River Port said to The Independent, We didnt stop our eviction drive. It will continue in phases. In reply to a query, he said there is no relation of the state minister for shipping with the eviction drive in question. Rather, it was his private visit to attend a programme here, he noted. Well begin eviction drive from the Haripur Power Plant area and itll continue until the illegal structures are evicted alongside the riverbank of Shitalakhya, Kamal said. According to the sources, the local influential people have grabbed the Shitalakhya riverbank by way of establishing hundreds of makeshift structures, residential buildings, markets and business installations illegally. Earlier, the BIWTA demolished at least 113 illegal structures, including three six-storey buildings, five multi-storey buildings and a semi-concrete yarn factory. Besides, it did also evict the land grabbers along the Shitalakshya River and also knocked down several makeshift structures from the foreshore. They also removed sand and bricks during the eviction drive. A total of 134 structures, including the makeshift ones were listed for partial demolition as those were built illegally by way of encroaching the river, the officials said, adding that the owners of five of the structures already obtained stay orders from court against conducting such eviction.