The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in Barisal has identified over 500 illegal establishments on their lands, but has failed to remove them over the past 40 years because there are no landmarks. As a result, a group of influential persons has grabbed valuable BIWTA lands from Pox ward to Padmaboti area, including the port area of the city, estimated to be worth around Tk. 200 crore. Sources at the Barisal river port office said the BIWTA was sanctioned some 66 acres by the government in Barisal for long-term settlement in 1963. A gazette notification was published in this connection. After 30 years, the Barisal district administration conducted a survey after drawing maps, and sanctioned 36.30 acres (36,300 decimals) to the BIWTA and fixed Tk. 68,000 as annual renewal fees. The BIWTA had already lost over 30 acres (3,000 decimals) by then. At the time the district administration sanctioned the land, there was no map. Taking advantage of this, a section of locals grabbed the BIWTA lands and constructed establishments.
BIWTA chairman Commodore Mozammel Haque said the authority would take action as soon as possible to recover these lands.  Md. Mustafizur Rahman, the port officer of Barisal river port, said the authority had updated the list of illegal establishments in 2013 and had reminded the Barisal district administration at least four times, but it did not respond. He said the land has been handed over to the BIWTA on paper, but no demarcation has been made. “We have prepared a map for our lands. If the DC Barisal serves a notice to the persons who have set up their establishments illegally, we will start the eviction drive,” he added.  On visiting the spot on Saturday, it was found that a group of persons has already initiated construction activities on BIWTA land. At Chandmari area of the city, as many as five ice factories have already been built.  BIWTA officials have even faced threats from the land grabbers. Sources said that over the past seven years, the authorities had launched eviction drives several times, but these were stopped midway. Even though they paid renewal fees every year, they could not take control of their lands.
BIWTA executive engineer AZM Shahnawaz Kabir said that they had plans to use the land commercially, but they have not been able to take possession of 16 acres (1,600 decimals) of valuable land, worth around Tk. 200 crore. He said the authority had already prepared a list of over 500 illegal establishments and has written a letter to the district administration to demolish these. Also, the BIWTA director (lands) visited Barisal last week and asked the relevant department to take action.
When this reporter visited the port road area, he found that unauthorised locals were using the BIWTA land commercially. Some of them claimed they had taken lease from the DC’s office, but no one was able to show the necessary papers in support of their claim. The reporter also found that two mosques have been built without permission. The masjeed committee has constructed several stalls in front of the mosques and rented them out to traders, after taking huge amounts as monthly rent.  The port officer of Barisal admitted that the land grabbers had been using the BIWTA lands for a long time. He also said that no one has the right to lease it as the land officially belonged to the BIWTA. Commodore Haque said they had held a meeting recently and another meeting would be held soon this month for recovering the land. “We have valid papers showing our ownership of the land. Not only Barisal, the department is committed to recovering their lands from illegal occupants from all over the country,” he added.