Railway knocks down 250 structures

Bangladesh Railways demolished 250 illegal structures in the capital’s Shahjahanpur Railway Colony yesterday.

The drive was carried out from 10am to 3:15pm and it would continue until all illegal structures are evicted, Nazrul Islam, divisional estate officer of Dhaka, who led the drive, said.

Several other railways officials of Dhaka division were present on the site.

Most of the structures were tin-shed houses built in the last seven-eight years, he said.

“We will carry out a similar drive tomorrow [today] and if necessary, will continue in the next week,” he told this newspaper last night.

Railway sources said a quarter with vested interest has been occupying a big part of railway land in the colony for years. They even built houses and shops there and rented those out to others.

Several years ago, when railway authority went to evict the illegal structures, local goons halted the drive and later railway postponed it.

Asked whether railway will continue its efforts if similar attempts are made again by illegal occupiers, Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan yesterday said the drive will continue.

“There is no scope to stop the drive,” he said at a press conference at Railway Bhaban.