Bangladesh News

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority and Dhaka district administration yesterday demolished around 15 tin-shed structures constructed illegally on the river Turag near Gabtali-Amin Bazar bridge in the city.

BIWTA also continued excavation work for the second day in some portions of the river that was filled up with sand by encroachers.

Seven concrete structures however could not be dismantled because of stay order, said an official of BIWTA.

The drive led by magistrate Mohammad Mokbul Hossain began at 10:30am and continued till 5:30pm. Four excavators, one tug-vessel, 42 police personnel and 30 day-labourers were engaged in the eviction drive. BIWTA Senior Deputy Director Golam Kabir and Deputy Director Saiful Islam were also present during the drive.

A total of 70 illegal structures were identified for demolition along the Gabtali and Amin Bazar banks of the river. These are mostly concrete and makeshift structures.

“We have been excavating the portions of the river occupied and filled up by land grabbers on the south of Gabtali-Amin Bazar bridge,” said BIWTA Deputy Director Saiful Islam.

He said they also broke a bamboo-made structure built on the riverbank to run sand business.

The drive and excavation will continue till completion of excavation of around 7.5 acres of foreshore of the river. It might take 15 days to complete, Saiful said.

Earlier, an eviction drive was carried out against the grabbers of Turag near Gabtali and Amin Bazar during the caretaker government in 2007.

A total of 3,194 illegal structures were demolished along the bank of Buriganga during 2001 and 2007. But most of them came back.