Dhaka, July 24 (UNB) – Around 145.1 acres of land were reclaimed along the rivers surrounding Dhaka through demolishing 5,239 illegal establishments from January to June this year.
Besides, Tk 8.64 crore was realised through auction and Tk 27 lakh more as fine during the period.
The information was revealed at a meeting of the task force formed by the Shipping Ministry to put forward and implement recommendations to keep the navigability and natural flow of the country’s major rivers normal.
It was said a project is underway to construct a 52-km walkway, 10,820 boundary pillars, three eco parks, six pontoons, 40 kms of key wall, 19 RCC jetties and 409 sitting benches on the reclaimed land of the Buriganga, Turag, Shitalakkhya and Balu rivers. The project will be implemented by 2022.
The meeting was informed that 9,577 pillars were set up to demarcate the boundary of the rivers. “There’re controversies over 3,855 pillars and out of them, disputes about 2,114 pillars have been disposed of.”
The meeting was told that Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority reclaimed 612.22 acres of land along the rivers across the country from 2010 to 2019.
Currently, dredging work is underway under seven projects to enhance the navigability of the rivers.
State Minister for Shipping and task force President Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury presided over the meeting.
