Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) will resume its eviction drive from today (Monday) against encroachment of the River Buriganga, said its top official on Sunday.
"We will re-launch our eviction drive against encroachment of the River Buriganga from Monday," BIWTA chairman Commodore Mohammad Mozammel Haque told the FE.
"This will be the fourth consecutive drive against river encroachment," he said, adding that they have taken all preparations for today's drive.
He, however, said they have asked police department to provide policemen to help them make the eviction drive successful.
"We are hopeful that we will get police personnel and carry out our drives against illegal occupiers."
The chairman said they will also start an eviction drive against encroachment of the River Turag.
BIWTA, which is under the shipping ministry, carried out eviction drives from January 29-31 and from February 6-8 and February 12-14 this year.
BIWTA joint director (river port) AKM Arif Uddin told the FE that they will start the eviction drive from Basila area in the capital.
On February 14, a total of 59 illegal structures were demolished along the banks of the River Buriganga.
Illegal structures demolished 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 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, he added.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com