1,000 families bulldozed out of health-directorate land in city

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A drive to free health-directorate land in Mohakhali from squatters in the so-called 'seven-storey slum' area left about 1,000 families homeless Tuesday, reports bdnews24.com.
The drive, led by magistrate Md Nazrul Islam Khan, took off at 10.30 am and ended Tuesday evening.
Asked why the eviction started before arranging rehabilitation of the slum residents despite the government deciding in principle that rehabilitation would be ensured before eviction, the magistrate said, "That's not our job. The government will look into the issue of rehabilitation."
A total of 160 policemen, including Gulshan police chief participated in the drive, accompanied by assistant police commissioner for Gulshan zone.
Police earlier Sunday and Monday used loudspeakers urging the slum residents to leave the land owned by the Directorate General of Health Services.
The slum people rendered homeless gathered their belongings in a nearby place and took shelter under open sky.
The slum residents and lawyers said the eviction was not legal as there is a High Court (HC) stay order on slum evictions.
Human rights activist and former adviser of the caretaker government Sultana Kamal along with three slum residents-Abdul Khaleque, Tamijuddin Master and Mosammat Angkurrunnesa-filed a case in 2003, prompting the court to issue the stay order on all slum evictions in the city, including the 'seven-storey slum'.
Rights organisation "Ain O Salish Kendro" has been continuing a legal battle against the eviction of slums since 2003. A lawyer of the organisation, advocate Abu Obaidur Rahman Tagar, told the news agency that "As per the HC order on April 19, 2003, the slum-dwellers cannot be evicted until the disposal of that case."