After many years of being under illegal occupation, a canal in the city area is going to be freed from the clutches of the grabbers soon and it will be given the old character.
The Independent had published an exclusive report over the canal encroachment on June 8, titled “Canal under illegal occupation in N’ganj”.
Narayanganj City Corporation at an opinion-exchange meeting on July 7 at its office decided that the grabbed Baburail canal widely known as boat khal will be freed from occupation as the boats and other water vessels can ply in this channel smoothly. At the meeting, it was informed that tender for the project costing Tk 10 crore will be called immediately.
Presided over by city mayor Dr Selina Hayat Ivy, the meeting was addressed, among others, by environment movement leader Iqbal Habib, panel mayor Obaidullah, Moniruzzaman, Sharmin Habib Binni, city chief executive Mostofa Kamal Mojumdar and Mahmudur Rahman Habib.
Baburail canal popularly known as boat khal connects two river flows, on the east side is the Shitalakhkya river and on the west side Buriganga and Dhaleswari rivers.
Once the canal was main channel for movement of vessels carrying goods from the west side to east side of the city.
It was 30 metres wide and almost five kilometres long. But the infulentials constructing different categories of structures on the canal bank made it narrow and somewhere it has shrunk so much that it cannot be recognised as a canal.
At the corporation’s meeting it was also informed that the canal will be freed from grabbers again and it will be turned into a recreational spot with scenic beauty, like Hatirjhhel in the capital city.
Conscious citizens expressed satisfaction over the city corporation authorities’ decision while the grabbers who made 185 structures and 34 bridges on the canal have fallen into tension.
A senior citizen named Aminul Haq said, “I saw this canal was a boat-plying channel and if it truly becomes like the previous one, I will be very happy.”