The concerned authorities started yesterday eviction drive against illegal land grabbers to protect rivers in Khulna. The district administration is conducting the eviction drive in collaboration with different stake holders including Khulna City Corporation (KCC), Khulna Development Authority (KDA), Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and Metropolitan Police. They started the long awaited eviction drive here to demolish over 2,636 illegal structures erected on both banks of the river Mayur, Bhairab, Rupsha and 26 canals and 1,614 illegal land grabbers to protect rivers and canals in the city.

A team led by Khulna deputy commissioner (DC) Md Helal Hossain started the drive from Gallamari area at 11 am on Sunday and bulldozed huge number of illegal structures. The eviction drive will continue in next three months. Mayor of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Talukder Abdul Khaleque started

the drive by evicting an illegal factory in Gallyamari area. During the drive, the KCC Mayor asked person concerned to remove all listed illegal structures and release government lands, saying they (illegal land grabbers) must to leave the lands.

“Many rivers, canals and water bodies in Khulna region were occupied by land grabbers… Eviction drive today begins to free rivers, canals and water bodies from land grabbers for ensuring normal flow of water,” said deputy commissioner Md Helal Hossain.

The DC urged all levels of the people to extend their cooperation to make the eviction drive successful for recovering illegally occupied lands on the rivers banks and other water bodies. Khulna District Administration has fixed September 1 to eviction drive following a meeting with KCC mayor on last Wednesday. The Administration also had campaign through miking at the areas before the eviction drive.