RHD staff threaten eviction team
Roads and Highways department (RHD) officials threatened an eviction team against removal of illegal earth filling in the river Shitalakhya at Kanchpur yesterday, said officials of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).
Narayanganj district administration and BIWTA jointly launched a two-day eviction drive at the eastern foot of the Kanchpur Bridge to remove huge piles of sand and sand bags dumped around 20 feet into the river.
According to locals, a section of RHD officials in liaison with several sand traders has been facilitating earth filling and grabbing of the river foreshores to carry out illegal business despite government attempts to save the rivers.
As BIWTA team started sand removal within the river with excavators and trucks, Sirajul Islam, a work assistant of RHD, objected to the move. Subsequently a sub-assistant engineer of RHD rushed to the scene and claimed that the sand stockpiled on the river foreshores belonged them.
"They misbehaved and threatened us with grave consequences," said Alamgir Kabir, deputy director of BIWTA.
The situation came under control after arrival of Dr Mofizur Rahman, executive magistrate of Narayanganj, with police.
BIWTA officials said that illegal sand trading has been going on occupying an area of 2.25 lakh square foot of the river and its foreshores.
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