BIWTA workers demolishing illegal structures on the bank of river Buriganga at Basila in the city on Monday — FE photo The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) continued to carry out its eviction drive against encroachment of the River Buriganga on Monday.
During the drive, a total of 120 illegal structures were bulldozed on both the sides of Basila Bridge along the river.
Illegal structures demolished on the day included a four-storey building, eight three-storey buildings, 11 two-storey buildings, 42 one-storey buildings, 33 semi-pucca buildings and 25 makeshift houses.
BIWTA joint director (river port) AKM Arif Uddin told the FE that the eviction drive will continue until Wednesday.
Talking to the FE, some local people whose structures were demolished claimed that they had legal documents on their lands.
But sources concerned said these papers were not legal.
BIWTA, which is under the shipping ministry, started carrying out its fourth-phase eviction drive against river encroachment from yesterday (Monday).
Earlier, it conducted eviction drives from January 29-31 and February 6-8 and February 12-14 this year.
On February 14, a total of 59 illegal structures were demolished along the banks of the River Buriganga.
Illegal structures included a four-storey building, two three-storey buildings, eight two-storey buildings, a one-storey building, 25 semi-pucca buildings and 20 makeshift houses.
The third phase of the eviction drive concluded on February 14.
In two phases, a total of 1,199 illegal structures were demolished and 10 acres of land on the river banks were reclaimed.
In the third phase of the eviction drive, a total of 301 structures were pulled down from Balurghat at Shaheed Nagar to Betarighat at Kamrangirchar and Basila area.
BIWTA demolished a total of 124 illegal structures on February 13 and 118 on February 12.
About a future plan on recovered lands, the outgoing chairman of BIWTA said the authorities concerned would build 19 jetties in different areas including Amin Bazar, Gabtoli, Kanchpur, Tanbazar, Machuwa Bazar, and Khanpur.
The government would also build about 50-km walkway, plant saplings along the walkway and set up three eco-parks at Shinnirtek, Tongi and Ashulia under a project, according to BIWTA.
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