Once flowing waterbody at stake

The 8-kilometre-long Bahalgachia canal, flowing between Patuakhali municipality and Kalikapur union in Sadar upazila, once served as a route for launches, cargo boats and trawlers but now it is unusable even for small country boats, thanks to the mindless encroachment for years.

Water Development Board (WDB) has recently identified 38 illegal establishments in Gorur Badghat Bazar area on the canal while several hundred establishments have been built on the canal lands, mostly in Gorur Badghat Bazar, Hetalia Badghat Bazar and Jainkathi Badghat Bazar areas.

There are four cross embankments on the canal, including one at Hetalia Badghat Bazar point through which Patuakhali-Kuakata road runs.

WDB built a one-gate sluice on each point, which is too insufficient to keep the flow smooth.

During a recent visit to the area, this correspondent found the in-laws of a Saudi expatriate constructing two buildings at Gorur Badghat on the south side of the canal.

Asked about the building construction on canal land, they claimed that they bought it around 15 years ago and it is recorded in their names.

At Hetalia Badghat Bazar, the main canal is now hardly 15-metre-wide, which was, according to elderly locals, around 300 metres some 25 years ago.

Many establishments including a mosque have been built, occupying the lands on both sides of the canal.

Locals have built over 200 establishments on both sides of the cross embankment, turning the spot into a big market, said Abul Hasan of Hetalia Bazar area.

“Around 30 years back, single-decker launches, cargo boats and trawlers moved through the canal for plying Patuakhali-Mirzaganj, Patuakhali-Amtali and Patuakhali-Barguna river routes but now the canal is not usable even for small country boats,” said Abdur Razzak of the same area.

Over one lakh people on both sides of the canal use its water for household purposes but the much narrowed flow has become too dirty, he added.

People built over 100 establishments including a few multi-storey buildings on lands on both sides of the canal at Jainkathi, said Md Ruhul Amin, a local.

The authorities concerned should take immediate steps to save the canal from grabbers considering interest of locals, said Sirajul Islam of Gorur Badghat area.

Md Hasanuzzaman, executive engineer of WDB, said, “We have already identified 38 illegal establishments in Gorur Badghat Bazar area, which will be removed soon. All the illegal structures on both sides of the canal will be demolished in phases.”

Md Matiul Islam Chowdhury, deputy commissioner of Patuakhali, said, the district administration has taken a plan to conduct a drive soon to demolish illegal establishments on the canal.