Fresh survey going on to demarcate Shitalakkhya

The Narayanganj district administration and BIWTA have started a fresh joint survey of 2,198 pillars that demarcated the areas of establishments on the banks of the river Shitalakkhya, to save it from grabbers.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has objected to these boundary pillars placed by a good number of industrial units -- including power plants, cement factories, jute mills and dockyards.

After the survey, BIWTA will replace the old boundary pillars with durable ones in a bid to prevent influential people from grabbing the river.

In June 2009, the High Court ordered the district administration and BIWTA to take necessary steps to protect four rivers, including the Shitalakkhya, around the capital.

Later, the two government organisations, in a joint survey, fixed the border of the Shitalakkhya.

In 2011, Public Works Department started installing boundary pillars to demarcate the waterbody.

On May 16, 2011 a 10-member taskforce was formed at a meeting with the then state minister for land Mostafizur Rahman in the chair, said BIWTA sources.

The taskforce inspected the activities of setting up the boundary pillars and took a decision to reinstall those considering different aspects, including BIWTA's objection.

BIWTA objected that 2,198 such pillars out of total 5,011 were not installed in right places.

Of the 2,198 pillars, 1,356 were set up on the eastern bank of the Sitalakkhya.

On September 6, 2015, the then National River Protection Commission Chairman Ataharul Islam, at its meeting, asked for saving the river by setting the pillars in right places quickly, if necessary.

AKM Arifuddin, joint director of Narayanganj River Port under BIWTA, said the district administration and BIWTA, as per the directives of the prime minister, National River Protection Commission and the taskforce started a fresh survey of the 2,198 pillars.

BIWTA Chairman Commodore M Mozammel Haque inaugurated the work on August 9 after visiting Sonakanda area.

Arifuddin said, “We will set up strong boundary pillars so that none can grab the Shitalakkhya river.”

He said implementation of the project requires much time. No timeframe was given for doing so, he added.