Encroachers have grabbed nearly one kilometer of the south foreshore of Buriganga riverbank and set up hundreds of illegal establishments. The establishments host piles of sand, bricks, pit coal and cement. Dust pollution is choking the locality one hand, while the leftovers of the sand and cement piles have been contributing to filling up the river bed. The illicit businessmen have gone reckless as the authorities remain reluctant regarding the issue.
Chairman of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Commodore Mohammad Mozammel Haque, however, said that his office conduct regular eviction drives to keep the river occupation-free. "Some establishments have High Court stay order. If we get the green signal from the court, those will be razed down soon," He further said. Meantime, allegations run rife against the political quarters as usual.
Apart from this, some BIWTA officials were accused to support the encroachers. A recent visit to Hasanabad, the southern part of China Bangladesh Friendship Bridge, Doleshwar and Char Mirerbagh found that rampant business on the riverbank is on in full swing. Dredgers were lifting sands from the river which was being piled up on the river. And it was being transported by trucks to several places while the earth piled on was taken to brick kilns.
Mirerbagh local Shamsher Ali said not only the BIWTA officials, but also law enforcers are getting amounts per month from the illegal business. "It's an open secret and the locals even do not dare to protect it," He commented. Besides, several sand lifters and brick traders have set up their businesses at Aganagar portion of the river.
A sand trader who has business on Hasanabad riverbank said they were setting up their sales on the foreshore as the communication was preferably suitable. "Although we left the road and have been paying people of several organizations, harassments appear frequently in the name of eviction. However, it's manageable through better payments." BIWTA's joint director Joynal Abedin defended the allegation of any short of bribe. He washed of his hands saying they would take action if specific complaint were filed.
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