Dev Work By Army
Aggrieved locals block airport road for 2 hrs
Staff Correspondent
Protesting the army members' development works on a road used by the residents of West Arzatpara in Shaheebagh, hundreds of people yesterday blocked the airport road near Mohakhali flyover from around 9:00am to 11:00am, creating severe traffic jam on both sides of the flyover. The agitating people moved from there after army high officials intervened and halted the works. However, the army has stopped plying of vehicles on that road from the Mohakhali area. Some army members started raising a wall to block the road's opening to the airport road near the fly-over yesterday morning, witnesses said. An ISPR press release said the army members were demarcating a land owned by the Army Welfare and Rehabilitation Directorate. A part of the 2.18 acres of land under the Mohakhali mouza has already been occupied by vested interest quarters, it said, adding that there is another wide road for movement of people of the area. But the locals said the army is trying to occupy the road that has been used by them for 30 years. If the road is blocked, the people of Arzatpara will have to go three kilometres round to Mohakhali whereas it is only a 500-metre way now, they said, adding that it will also create permanent traffic jam in the area. "We have been using the road for the last 30 years and the 12-foot road is mentioned in the land survey record. The sewerage connection for the area has been made under the road and also there are electricity pillars on the road," said a resident requesting anonymity. Earlier the army tried to take the road under their possession but refrained after intervention by local dignitaries, sources said.
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