National Committee wants eviction of all illegal Buriganga structures, dockyards
UNB
Publish: 30 Jun 2024, 07:01 PM
Dhaka,
June 30 (UNB)-The National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways
(NCPSRR) on Sunday demanded the immediate removal of all structures, including
dockyards, built on the banks of River Buriganga.
Mohammad Shahid Mia,
president of the organisation and its general secretary Ashis Kumar Dey made
the appeal in a statement to the Ministry of Shipping and Bangladesh Inland
Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).
Citing the information
published in the media, the statement of the civic organisation says that there
are 27 dockyards (ship building and repair factories) in an area of about one
and a half kilometers up to Telghat in Char Kaliganj on the bank between
Shubhadhya Canal and Buriganga River in South Keraniganj Upazila.
These dockyards have
been built illegally inside the rivers. However, according to the verdict of
the High Court, the construction of any kind of structure in the spaces of the
river is prohibited.
In the statement, the
National Committee says that due to the construction of dockyards between the
boundary pillars of the Buriganga, a large amount of solid and liquid waste is
constantly falling into the river.
The water of Buriganga
is getting seriously polluted. Besides, the width of the river is decreasing
due to obstruction of water flow.
The leaders of the
committee complained that hundreds of illegal structures have been built in the
places of important rivers like Dhaka's Buriganga across the country.
It is alleged in the
statement that the rivers are not being free from illegal occupation due to the
indifference, negligence and dishonesty of a section of officers and employees
of the BIWTA, Water Development Board, Department of Environment, Local
Government Engineering Department and district and upazila administration.
END/UNB/MJ/F