26 structures knocked down in CDA drive
At least 26 illegal structures were knocked down on the first day of drives by Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), aimed at reclaiming 13 canals of the port city.
The drive began at Rajakhali canal in Kolpolok residential area yesterday in cooperation with Bangladesh Army.
At least 36 canals will be re-excavated, renovated and expanded to mitigate waterlogging in the port city under a project taken up by CDA. The project is being implemented by the engineering corps of Bangladesh Army.
Environmental and Geographic Information Services, a consultant company appointed by CDA, recently conducted primary survey of 13 canals and assessed at least 123 acres of canal land, where it found a total of 1,576 illegal structures.
Lt Col Md Shah Ali, director of the project, told The Daily Star that they demolished six structures ranging from tin-roofed structures to two-storey buildings on canal land.
“We will reclaim all the canals in phases. Primarily we are focusing on 13 canals,” he said.
Ahmed Moinuddin, executive engineer of CDA, said occupiers did not comply with a one-month notice to take down their structures. “As they did not remove the structures themselves, we have started our work,” he said.
Sokina Begum, whose shanty was occupying Rajakhali canal, said she built the makeshift structure some 20 years ago and did not know that the land belonged to a canal.
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