Ctg Port Authority launches eviction drive at Laldia Char

Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) yesterday started evicting illegal structures at Laldia Char at the estuary of Karnaphuli river at Patenga after years of repeated attempts. 

With this move, port users hoped that implementation of Laldia Multipurpose Terminal, one of the three mega projects for the port’s expansion, would gather momentum. 

CPA Magistrate Goutam Baroi led yesterday’s drive with the help of police and Ansar members. Some 200 illegal structures -- mostly thatched shanties and at least 30 buildings -- were demolished on the first day, said CPA Deputy Manager (Estate) Zillur Rahman, adding that the drive was peaceful as they made public announcements about the eviction for the last 15 days asking occupants of the houses to leave. Most of the inhabitants moved on their own already, he added.

After recovering around 50 acres of land on the char, CPA would construct a multipurpose terminal and a few lighter jetties on the land, said Zillur Rahman. The multipurpose terminal will have four jetties -- two for container vessels and two for bulk cargo carriers, Rahman said.

Once the drive is completed, the port would be able to proceed with its expansion plan to build new jetties and yards which is badly needed for the country’s premier sea port since it is experiencing gradual growth in both container and cargo transport.

A LONG TIME COMING

People have been living in the char, an area owned by the port, since 1960s. Port authorities had taken several steps in the past to recover the land in the last 20 years, but failed mostly due to pressure from political parties.

In 2005, CPA Magistrate Md Munir Chowdhury could manage to recover a part of the char through an eviction drive, but it was stopped in the face of strong resistance from locals.

On July 12 that year, locals clashed with law enforcers during the drive, leaving at least 50 people including women and policemen injured.

In 2010, a writ petition was filed with the High Court to recover the Karnaphuli bank, and the HC subsequently directed Chattogram District Administration to conduct eviction drives at the area, but no remarkable progress was seen.

In April this year, the HC ordered CPA to conduct eviction drive by July 31, according to port officials.

CPA Deputy Manager Zillur Rahman said CPA did not need to go for any development project at this area for many years, but the port is now experiencing 10 to 12 percent growth per year in container handling, and thus it needs expansion.

The port authority several years back undertook plans to construct three mega terminals, including Patenga Container Terminal by 2019, Laldia Multipurpose Terminal by 2020 and the first phase of Bay Terminal by 2021.

The proposed Laldia terminal is the first ever public-private partnership (PPP) project of the port, with an estimated cost of around US$ 301.60 million.

The cabinet committee on economic affairs in March 2013 approved the project, while Canadian consultation firm MM Group submitted its final feasibility report in September 2016.

Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) President Mahbubul Alam said due to failure in recovering the land, the implementation of Laldia Terminal has been delayed.

The terminal is badly needed for the port as soon as possible, since the port is already facing vessels and container congestion with increasing growth in vessel traffic and container transport through the port, he opined.

65 STRUCTURES EVICTED FROM CHAKTAI CANAL

Meanwhile, Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) yesterday evicted 65 structures from Chaktai canal -- one of the key canals of the port city, reports our staff correspondent.

The eviction drive, led by CDA’s special metropolitan magistrate Saiful Islam Chowdhury, began at 10am from Bohaddar Hat police box area.

Hamidul Haque, assistant engineer of CDA told The Daily Star that with cooperation from Bangladesh Army and Chattogram Metropolitan Police, they started the drive to rid the canal of illegal structures.

On the first day, he said they were able to knock down at least 65 illegal structures along a three kilometre stretch of the canal, which has at least 300 illegal structures.

CDA recently surveyed 13 canals, where they found 1,300 illegal structures built over the years, almost choking the waterbodies.

CDA is implementing a project worth Tk 5,616 crore to mitigate perennial waterlogging in the port city.