250 structures knocked down
Around 250 illegal structures on the bank Bangshi in Savar were demolished in an eviction drive conducted by Dhaka District Administration during the last two days.
The drive started at Namabazar on Friday, said Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Majaharul Islam, who led the drive as an executive magistrate.
"Around six to seven acres of land of the river have illegally been occupied by at least 300 structures and most of them are business establishments," he said.
The drive will continue today, he said.
Dr Rafiqul Islam Mollah, president of Savar Nodi-o- Poribesh Unnayan Parishad, told The Daily Star, "We welcome this initiative to evict the encroachers although it has been taken after a long time."
Meanwhile, pointing to Savar municipality mayor Haji Abdul Goni's establishments on the riverbank next to Namabazar bridge, Rafiqul said, "We request the authorities concerned not to spare any influential people."
However, Goni repeatedly claimed that he has no illegal structures there.
Meanwhile, the district administration, during the drive, found that all the illegal structures have legal electricity connection and municipality holding numbers.
One Motaleb Mia said he used to pay electricity bill and municipality tax for his structure built before 1980.
About such holding number, the mayor said, "I don't know how they got it. We will look into the matter."
Abul Kalam Azad, general manager of Dhaka Palli Bidyut Samity-3, said normally electricity connection is given following submission of land ownership papers. "Since the connection was provided a long time ago, it is not possible to tell the details without checking the files."
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