The government will never allow grabbing the reclaimed land of rivers and punish those involved with this audacious act, said state minister for shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury.
"It'd be a great offence if river banks or demarcated land of rivers are encroached again. We won't spare anybody if found guilty of such act," he uttered.
Mr Chowdhury said this while inaugurating the plantation of saplings on the banks of the Buriganga and Turag at Birulia in Dhaka on Monday.
Nobody could dare grab river banks again in the lifetime of the incumbent government, he cited.
"We've evicted the grabbers of river banks. We never ever considered their power or influence," observed the junior minister.
The government has undertaken a project to recover the grabbed land of the rivers around the capital with an eye to restoring navigability of the water bodies.
It also aims to ensure a favourable environment considering lives, livelihoods and economic benefits of the country, said Mr Chowdhury.
The project, being executed by Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) under shipping ministry, has so far reclaimed 90-per cent land of the rivers.
Work on building boundary walls, pillars and walkways is ongoing on the recovered land of the rivers.
The project is expected to expire by 2023-2024.
Mr Chowdhury said the government has prepared a master plan to save river banks and improvement of the environment.
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