Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) could not start repairing and widening of the Avenue 4 road yet at Mirpur 11, most part of which it recovered from the unauthorised occupation of stranded Pakistanis, popularly known as 'Biharis'
The corporation launched the eviction drive between January 21-22 when it demolished 400 shops and houses of 129 families living in a number of camps.
The DNCC authorities said the roads from Nannu Market to Bhasani crossings and from Bhasani intersection to Taltola will be 74 feet-wide according to the master plan. There will also be footpaths, drainage system, rickshaw and transport stands.
The non-Bengalis, who have been allegedly occupying the roads, insisted they are being tossed out unjustifiably by the DNCC to allow a section of local Awami League and Jubo League men to illegally grab their plots backed by the local ward councilor and a Dhaka Metropolitan Awami League leader.
The responsibility of rehabilitating them at a permanent location has been given to the local lawmaker Elias Mollah of Dhaka 16 constituency along with DNCC mayor Atiqul Islam.
Elias Mollah has already visited the camp area and assured the residents of a compromised width of the roads ranging from 51 to 54 feet, which will save part of their camps.
Talking to the FE, Mr Islam said the roads will be widened as per the master plan of the engineering department of the city corporation.
The roads are now conspicuously narrow, which is making it difficult for smooth movement.
"The roads will be widened accordingly besides the construction of footpaths, drains, rickshaws and car stands," he said.
Referring to the prime minister's order, the mayor said, the PM said no one should live in an inhuman condition, irrespective of whether they are Bengalis or non-Bengalis.
About Beguntila of Shagufta Housing site of Mirpur as proposed by local lawmaker Elias Mollah for the permanent settlement of the Biharis, Mr Islam said it does not depend on any proposal, rather it depends on the allotment of the land in favour of the city corporation.
The lawmaker of Dhaka 18 constituency Habib Hasan, Elias Mollah and SM Mannan Kochi had discussions with the mayor regarding the critical issues of the Biharis living in Mirpur 10, 11 and 12.
The mayor also said the engineers of the DNCC told him to have started the repairing work of the roads.
During a visit to the Avenue 4 area on March 03, this correspondent found Elias Mollah holding talks with the local leaders of the Biharis.
On March 12, this correspondent found there was no repairing work going on at the site from which the illegal occupants were evicted earlier.
When contacted, DNCC executive engineer Naeem Rayhan said they cleaned the debris of the areas. They have started road widening work from Kalshi area and it will take another month to reach the Avenue 4 and other roads. Abangali Relief Committee chairman Sarfaraz Alam said on January 25, they had a meeting with the DNCC Mayor during which the responsibility of the Bihari issue was vested with Elias Molah. The lawmaker held a meeting with the Biharis and assured them of compromising the width of the roads. The road from Nannu Market to the Society Market Camp will be 55 feet instead of 72 feet, they claimed.
The residents of the camps, whose houses were demolished, will be rehabilitated and Elias Mollah has proposed Beguntila area as the permanent settlement site for them.
Society Market Camp in-charge Akil Ahmed said the city corporation has "unlawfully" demolished the shops and houses of the camps on charges of occupying the roads and doing illegal narcotics trade.
"We are not in favour of the shops, but the camps where we live were given by Ershad. There is a ruling from the Supreme Court, the roads should be built elsewhere or narrowed," he said.
He also claimed there are 26 non-Bengali camps in Mirpur with over 0.1 million population and over 75,000 voters. Joint secretary of the Stranded Pakistanis Repatriation Committee Md Nadim said in the master plan done during the tenure of Ayub Khan, the width of the roads was 60 feet from Nannu Market via Boro Masjid to Taltola camp. The width varies in different places now from 68 feet to 75 feet as the master plan has been modified time to time.
"The local lawmaker Mollah has assured us of making the roads 51 feet from the Nannu Market to Bhasani Morh and 54 feet from Bhasani Morh to the Taltola camp," he said.
Some 30 per cent of the Society Market camp and 60 per cent of Taltola camp will be destroyed to make way for the 74-feet road, where 140 families will be rendered homeless, residents estimated.
Pallabi Thana Awami League general secretary Sarwar Alam told the FE Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman himself allotted three camps for the stranded Pakistanis at Mirpur as per the Geneva Convention, despite the war crimes they committed during 1971.
The rest of the areas belong to roads, parks and playgrounds. These areas were occupied by the Biharis gradually.
"We are trying to reclaim the roads as per the master plan. It is very unfortunate a lawmaker is accusing the party men of grabbing the plots. In no way, a lawmaker can interfere in the work of the city corporation," he said.
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