Drive resumes today to drive out encroachers
Khulna City Corporation (KCC) resumes its drive to free 22 canals from the grip of encroachers today.
The drive remained suspended since last Sunday following murder of ward councillor Shahid Iqbal Bithar who was the convener of the 19-member committee formed by the mayor to conduct eviction drive against 22 canal encroachers.
The decision to resume the drive was taken at a meeting held in the KCC conference room on Tuesday with Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque in the chair.
Panel mayor Ajmal Ahmed Tapan has been made new convener of the 19-member committee. He is also the president of Awami League Sadar upazila unit.
It was resolved in the meeting that cases would be filed against the encroachers for erecting illegal structures on the canals.
The unauthorised structures erected on the canals in the city and its suburbs include residential houses, shops, roads, a mosque and a madrasa, schools, a bus ticket counter, one city councillor's office, one urban primary healthcare centre, government nurses quarters, rickshaw garages and enclosures for fish cultivation.
When contacted, new convener of the committee Ajmal Ahmed Tapan said he will carry out the eviction drive with the same courage and spirit as his predecessor Shahid Iqbal Bithar did.
Not a single illegal structure erected on the canals will be spared from being demolished to solve the menacing water logging problem in the city, he said.
Tuesday's meeting was attended by ward councillors, high officials of civil and police administration, leaders of different professional bodies and officers-in-charge of Khulna Sadar Police Station and Dumuria Police Station.
Meanwhile, police have so far made no headway in the investigation into the murder of Shahid Iqbal Bthar.
Seven out of 11 criminals picked up as suspects denied their involvement in the murder during interrogation at the KMP headquarters on Tuesday night.
The criminals picked up so far in connection with the murder of Bithar are Sachchu Bepari, Hafizur Rahman Bachchu, Zakir Sheikh, Murad Munshi, Anwar, Gaus, Alamgir, Monir, Mohammod, Riaz Hossain Shentu and Asad Sheikh.
Ten of them have been shown arrested under Section 54 of BPC while the lone suspect shown arrested in the murder case is Monirul Islam Monir, a tailor by profession.
Monir was taken on remand for five days from Tuesday while six others for three days for interrogation in connection with Bithar murder, said Sub-Inspector Shajahan Siraj who is the investigation officer (IO) of the case.
Four others picked up as suspects are yet to be shown arrested and interrogated in connection with the case.
Police are looking for local Jubo League leader Mezbaul Hasan Buruj suspecting his involvement in masterminding the murder of Shahid Iqbal Bithar.
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