Illegal structures are coming up on the Kuakata sea beach under patronage of local influentials.  

In violation of a High Court (HC) order, the structures are being erected in the name of the Sardar Market and Sun Rise Market. They are hindering the free movement tourists on the sea beach. Their owners are renting rooms to the small traders right in front of the Zilla Parishad Rest House and the zero point of the beach. But the authorities concerned have kept their mum over the issue.

It has been alleged that the Sun Rise authorities demand rent from small traders who display their products on the beach. They claim the white sand beach as their land.

On the west side of the road, the Sardar Market authorities are building a huge structure. Traders complain that it may collapse    after being hit by ahigh wind.

The Sunrise authorities are also making many new wooden houses without any interruption. A locally influential person is helping them to build the structures.

A writ petition was filed before the High Court. Hearing the petition, the court ordered the authorities concerned to stop building all kinds of structures from Kuakata Lembuchar to Kawarchar sea beach area, outside the flood control embankment.

The court also ordered the authorities, including the Patuakhali deputy commissioner and the UNO, to implement the order before disposal of the writ petition.

Kuakata businessman Abbas Kazi said that the Sardar market and the Sunrise authorities are reaping huge profits from the government land illegally.

On the other hand, they are forcing small traders to cough out rent for selling their products on the beach. If the traders do not want to pay rent, they are also facing police harassment.

Sardar market owner Sajedul Alam Saju said that they are not making houses illegally. They can build houses on their land and according to the instructions of the court, he claimed.

Kalapara UNO Md Tanvir Rahman told reporters that he was not aware of the matter. Lawful steps would be taken against them if any construction was done illegally, he said.