Rajuk demolishes 13 structures for building Bijoy Sarani link road

People try to salvage their belongings after Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha demolished a number of structures near Rangs Bhaban in the capital yesterday to make way for the Tejgaon-Bijoy Sarani link road. Photo: STAR

Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) yesterday launched a three-day drive to demolish illegal structures for the proposed link road between Bijoy Sarani and Tejgaon in the capital.
In the first day's drive about 50 rooms of 13 illegal pucca and semi-pucca structures were demolished.
The drive led by Rajuk magistrate ASM Emdadur Dastagir with the help of 100 workers continued from 9:30am to 5:30pm.
Rajuk has already identified 18 legal and 45 illegal structures in the project area.
As the drive began, many dwellers of the demolished houses broke down in tears while some remained busy shifting their belongings to other places
No untoward incident occurred during the drive as around 100 riot policemen stood guard.
Dwellers of the demolished houses alleged that they did not get any notice prior to the drive. They said the government initially decided to construct the road straight, but later they made changes in the plan to satisfy an influential quarter.
However, Rajuk magistrate Dastagir denied the allegations. He told the journalists that a notice was issued on October 11 so the dwellers get enough time to move to other places.
He said the design of the proposed road has been changed as the government tried to construct the road on its own land to reduce cost.
Dastagir said 18 legal structures will be demolished after the government acquires the land and compensates the owners.
Earlier, Rajuk partially demolished the upper floors of Rangs Bhaban which stands on the proposed link road.