Countrywide Eviction Drive Demolishes 5,574 Structures from Riverbanks

In the first phase of the countrywide drive of government to free small rivers and canals from illegal encroachment, at least 5,574 illegal riverbank structures were demolished, recovering about 593 acres of occupied land.

Official data shows a total of 1,022 illegal structures were demolished during the drive in the Rajshahi district, recovering some 88 hectares of land from occupation. Of those, in Sirajganj district alone around 700 illegal structures were evicted.

In the division of Khulna 1,038 illegal structures were removed from the banks of various rivers, recovering about 40 acres of land. Total of 250 buildings in the Magura district have been demolished.

During the campaign, a total of 657 illegal structures in the Rangpur division were evicted, recovering about 46 acres of land from river grabbing. Of those, only in the district of Dinajpur, about 465 illegal structures have been evicted.

In the Barishal district, 201 illegal structures were demolished from the banks of the river, recovering some 16 acres of land during the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) campaign for evictions.

During the campaign, a total of 768 structures were demolished in the Dhaka division, recovering some 59 acres of land from rivers, while in the Mymensingh district, 863 illegal structures were expelled and 58 acres of land were recovered. Around 550 buildings in Mymensingh district were evicted from the banks of the Old Brahmaputra River.

In Sylhet Division, 225 illegal structures were demolished from riverbanks, while in Chattogram, a total of 800 establishments were removed from rivers, recovering 275 acres of land from occupation, official data suggest.

The second phase of the drive for eviction began last February 23rd, Water Resources Ministry public relations officer Asif Ahmed said.

On 23 December 2019, the BWDB under the Ministry of Water Resources started a countrywide drive of eviction with the goal of freeing small rivers, canals from invasion.

The drives were carried out by all BWDB district administrations and local offices to demolish buildings that encroach on small rivers, canals, and water bodies.

During the drive which began simultaneously in all 64 districts, the BWDB set a target to evict 92,294 illegal structures from rivers and other water bodies across the country.

In Dhaka, a drive on the bank of the Ramchandrapur canal in Mohammadpur began by authorities. The drive was inaugurated by the Water Resources secretary Kabir Bin Anwar.

The Ministry of Water Resources oversees the drive under the first phase of the small rivers, canals, and water bodies re-excavation project in 64 districts across the country.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, after a year-long effort, Kabir said all district administrators made a list of illegal structures as per the 2013 Bangladesh Water Act.

He said “To stop re-encroachment, we have a plan to plant trees and build walkways along the canal”.

Source: BSS