Grabbers put yet another water body on death throes

Bhashantek Beel (Shaheen Lake), one of the city's major water bodies lying in between Dhaka cantonment and Mirpur-Pallabi, has been disappearing fast due to rampant grabbing of land, allegedly by both public and private parties.

The grabbers have been flouting the Natural Water Bodies, Open Space, Playground and Park Protection Law-2000, with total impunity, thus, making a large part of Mirpur and Pallabi vulnerable to severe water-logging.

Experts and environmental activists underscored the need for the execution of the government's decision on DMDP (Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan) 1995-2015 and enforcement of the Natural Water Body Protection Law-2000 to help protect the lake from encroachment.  Ensuring the existence of Bhashantek Beel as a water retention area like Hatirjheel project can help protect Mirpur, Senpara, Kachukhet areas from severe water-logging.

Due to encroachment on the water bodies, lakes and canals, a large part of Mirpur starting from Pallabi to Shewrapara experiences water-logging during the rainy season. If the encroachment goes on unabated, the situation will get worse, experts and local people added.

Talking to the FE, Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan (BAPA) joint secretary Architect Iqbal Habib said all water channels around Bhashantek area are very important.

A small portion of the beel is protected as a planned water retention area like Hatirjheel, but the other part is not protected due to negligence and reluctance on the part of the ministry and authority concerned, making a large area in Mirpur and Pallabi vulnerable to severe water-logging, he said.

"These kinds of activities demonstrate a sheer violation of the laws enacted by the ruling Awami League during its 1996-2000 tenure in power. It is also a violation of structured plan under detailed area plan (DAP)," Mr Iqbal said.

He called upon the government to immediately bring the officials involved with such crimes to book and preserve Bhasantek Beel to save the adjoining areas from water-logging.

The government formulated Natural Water Body Protection Law-2000 to protect the natural water bodies, canals, rivers, low-lying areas and open spaces in metropolitan areas. It gives the authorities concerned power to protect the water-bodies and avoid environmental hazards.

During a recent visit to Bhashantek area, this correspondent found that private land developers in collaboration with dishonest officials of different public agencies including RAJUK (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha) and the politically influential quarters at the local level have grabbed different parts of the lake. Many tin-shed shanties have been built in the lake around Bhashantek Rehabilitation Project (BRP) of the ministry of land while some buildings are being constructed in the water of the beel.

The local residents, however, refused to make comments on any issue of the BRP. Even they had no clear idea about the area.

They, however, said with the construction of the wide road linking the Dhaka Cantonment with the Mirpur Cantonment, the incidence of encroachment has gone up. Scores of sign boards bearing the names of owners started to spring up in the middle of the large water body. Hundreds of trucks are dumping sand in the lake to create raised plots. Some people have employed dredgers to fill up their 'plots' with sands. A few apartment buildings have already been built by the private builders and some others are waiting in the wings to build a few more.

Unless the ongoing encroachment is checked, this water body which was once linked to the Turag River will be totally lost within next couple of years, said a local resident.  

Land ministry sources said some ruling party men are behind the occupation of Bhasantek Beel, officially known as Shaheen Lake, located in between Dhaka Cantonment and Pallabi-Mirpur.

The ministry of land has been implementing a Tk 3.44 billion project titled BRP to provide slum dwellers with housing. Under the project, 13,248 flats would be constructed in 111 buildings which have already been approved by RAJUK. At present, 12 buildings are being constructed with a total of 938 flats. The project was launched in 1998.

The sources said the ministry will soon start erecting a demarcation wall around Bhashantek project with an area of 47.90 acres.  

When contacted, the project director of BRP said they were about to float a tender on completion of the remaining buildings. He also said they would erect a wall after demarcation of the periphery. No government land under the project was occupied by anyone, he added.  

Asked about gradual grabbing of the water body at Bhashantek, acting chairman of RAJUK Abdur Rahman said he was not aware of any such development.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) executive director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said if RAJUK says they are not informed, it is not acceptable as there is a clear violation of laws, policies and morality.

Besides, various irregularities are taking place in this case. The government and its various agencies indulge in the activities against public interest by violating laws in one hand while various private parties are being encouraged to occupy the water bodies on the other.

"The government is engaged in various environment damaging activities despite knowing all the facts which will have a negative impact on environment and livelihood of future generation," said Dr. Zaman.

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