CHATTOGRAM, July 02: The Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) launched a drive on Tuesday in association with the Bangladesh Army to evict all illegal structures built on the land of canals in Chattogram.
A team of the CDA started the eviction drive at the Rajakhali canal in the vicinity of the Kolpolok Residential Area in the port city at around 11:00 am.
The special magistrate of the CDA conducted the eviction drive.
CDA Executive Engineer Ahamed Mainuddin said, "CDA will evict all illegal establishments from the banks of canals and recover the whole area of land of the 13 canals in Chattogram."
"The eviction drive will continue from morning to afternoon every day. The eviction drive will continue for the next two months," he added.
Project Director of the mega project to remove waterlogging in Chattogram Lieutenant Colonel Shahe Ali said, "The eviction drive has started from today. We, the Bangladesh Army, are cooperating with the CDA to evict all illegal establishments on the canals in Chattogram."
He further said, "In a coordination meeting, we had taken the decision to evict all illegal establishments to recover the land of canals from grabbers."
According to sources, the CDA will recover the all occupied canals under the mega project involving around Tk 60 billion (6,000 crore) to solve the waterlogging problem in Chattogram permanently in association with the Bangladesh Army, the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) and law enforcing agencies.
CDA Chairman Jahirul Alam Dovash said, "We will recover all canals in Chattogram from illegal occupation."
Director General of 34 Engineer Construction Brigade of Bangladesh Army Brigadier General Tanvir Mazher Siddique said, "We requested all to help the Engineer Construction Brigade of Bangladesh Army make Chattogram free from waterlogging."
He said, "We are helping CDA conduct eviction drives along with the CCC and law enforcers to evict the illegal establishments on the land of canals and restore the actual sizes of the canals in the port city."
"We are working to restore navigability of 13 canals now and the rest will be cleared of illegal structures step by step next year," he added.
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