Habiganj Municipality Mayor Ataur Rahman has announced to construct a multi-storey market in the town by filling up two ponds.

He said this in the latest municipal budget announcement for FY 2024-25 unveiled at a press conference on July 8.

The announcement has drawn flaks from different quarters, including town dwellers and environmentalists, as it comes at a time when numerous areas in the town are facing a scarcity of freshwater alongside waterlogging problems.

Also, filling up of any waterbody is prohibited in the Water Conservation Act, 2000.

The two ponds, one being 60 decimals in size while the other one acre, are located in Tinkona area of the town in front of the Water Development Board's Habiganj district office.

Protesting the mayor's announcement, residents have organised various programmes.

Confirming the matter, SM Farhad, member secretary of Sacheton Nagorik Committee in Habiganj, said a memorandum has also been submitted to the deputy commissioner of the district for steps to prevent filling up the ponds for constructing market.

Shah Shaheda Akhter, coordinator of BELA in Sylhet, said they also sent a letter to the officials concerned on April 15.

"The municipal authorities are entrusted with responsibility to protect and maintain the town's waterbodies. Instead, they are trying to fill up ponds, prioritising markets over environmental conservation. They must abandon this commercial mindset," she added.

Contacted, the mayor said, "The main purpose of constructing the market is to increase the municipality's revenue. However, we will try to build the market without filling up the ponds entirely."