The district administration of Bogra removed illegal structures erected in front of Rupali Bank's regional branch at Satmatha, in the heart of the town, around noon yesterday.

 A total of 40 feet of steel sheet fencing was demolished in the drive, led by Shafiqul Islam, Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Bogra (Revenue), said the Executive Magistrate and Assistant Commissioner (Land) of Bogra Sadar upazila, Habibul Hasan Rumi.   “The drive started on 12.00 noon and continued till 2.00pm,” said Shafiqul Islam.

 Earlier, at a meeting, the AC (Land), Habibul Hasan Rumi, had announced that they would launch an eviction drive around 12 noon on Saturday if the land grabbers did not remove their structures within 11.00pm.    He said locals were happy with the move as they were opposed to the illegal occupation.

 An eye witness said a team of Juba League activists, led by the district unit president, Subasish Poddar, alias Liton, occupied 28 decimals of government property, priced at crores of Taka in Satmatha early on Friday.

They put up a signboard that said "Marwari Dharmasala". Kalyan Prosad Poddar, president of the Marwari Dharmasala Committee, said they are the owners of the property by a court decree. But they failed to show the decree to the local administration, and so were told to remove the illegal structures within 11.00am on Saturday.

The illegal structures were blocking Rupali Bank's regional branch, the Town Juba Dal office, JSD district office, a showroom of Butterfly LG, office of the daily, Uttarbarta, office of the weekly, Notun Khabar, and hundreds of small stalls selling clothes and shoes.

 Habibul Hasan Rumi, AC land of Bogra Sadar upazila said a case is running in this connection at a Bogra court.