Reza Mahmud :
Influential persons have allegedly grabbed a huge portion of lands in front of the Buriganga Bridge at Postagola in the city causing untold sufferings to thousands of passengers everyday.
A huge number of vehicles from the country’s 23 South and Western districts as well as from capital Dhaka create unlimited tailback in the area because of the narrowing street. It ultimately creates gridlock from Buriganga Bridge to Jatrabari flyover.
“There are around 300-square feet length of the street in front of the Buriganga Bridge to the Jatrabari flyover. But only 70-feet of the street are on use now as the rest of the lands have been grabbed by influential persons,” said Ariful Alam, a bus driver from Jurain area.
On the spot visit, it was found that huge illegal occupiers have grabbed most of the portions of the street making permanent and makeshift shops, petrol pumps, CNG stations, illegal CNG driven taxi and rickshaw stands from the Jatrabari flyover to Buriganga Bridge at Postagola.
Besides, dustbins of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) were also found.
Drivers belonging to inter-district buses and trucks told this correspondent that the Buriganga Bridge is an important gateway for 23 districts of Dhaka, Khulna and Barisal Divisions. Everyday several hundred buses and trucks move through this gateway by using Mawa Ferry Ghat.
They said thousands of passengers are using this road regularly. Besides, huge amounts of agro-based products come from those districts to Dhaka everyday. As most of the time huge traffic jam is found in the area, it creates untold suffering to the people. The pedestrians also suffer as the tailback make street very much congested to walk, they said.
“You see, there is a dustbin of the DSCC with huge waste throng there in street which made the way totally blocked. If one wants to walk through the street, beside the dustbin avoiding the waste, he may be hit by any running vehicles,” said Shahidul Islam, a small businessman of Jurain Bazar.
DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon said, “We will start eviction drives against all illegal grabbers. No one will be spared. No political leader or other influential persons would be allowed to stay in the people’s lands. We take every necessary step to evict the grabbers.”
Experts and the stakeholders said, it is highly important to recover the lands of the street immediately and make it four lanes for different types of vehicles.
Sources said, the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Authority will start eviction drives when the bridge will be near to complete. But it is highly necessary to free the street to save the huge numbers of people from the untold sufferings.
A number of truck drivers alleged that some dishonest traffic police personnel frequently stopped them and collect extortions. It also causes the traffic jam in the bridge area.
“Some dishonest traffic police stopped trucks even five times in the in front of the bridge. They collect money from us. It also causes the huge tailback. We see no solution of it yet,” a truck driver said, preferring anonymity.
When contacted, Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (traffic) Mosleh Uddin said, “The authority is in zero tolerance about such activities of the police. If anyone submits allegations against any police officials are found involved in collecting extortions then they must face strict departmental action.”
Influential persons have allegedly grabbed a huge portion of lands in front of the Buriganga Bridge at Postagola in the city causing untold sufferings to thousands of passengers everyday.
A huge number of vehicles from the country’s 23 South and Western districts as well as from capital Dhaka create unlimited tailback in the area because of the narrowing street. It ultimately creates gridlock from Buriganga Bridge to Jatrabari flyover.
“There are around 300-square feet length of the street in front of the Buriganga Bridge to the Jatrabari flyover. But only 70-feet of the street are on use now as the rest of the lands have been grabbed by influential persons,” said Ariful Alam, a bus driver from Jurain area.
On the spot visit, it was found that huge illegal occupiers have grabbed most of the portions of the street making permanent and makeshift shops, petrol pumps, CNG stations, illegal CNG driven taxi and rickshaw stands from the Jatrabari flyover to Buriganga Bridge at Postagola.
Besides, dustbins of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) were also found.
Drivers belonging to inter-district buses and trucks told this correspondent that the Buriganga Bridge is an important gateway for 23 districts of Dhaka, Khulna and Barisal Divisions. Everyday several hundred buses and trucks move through this gateway by using Mawa Ferry Ghat.
They said thousands of passengers are using this road regularly. Besides, huge amounts of agro-based products come from those districts to Dhaka everyday. As most of the time huge traffic jam is found in the area, it creates untold suffering to the people. The pedestrians also suffer as the tailback make street very much congested to walk, they said.
“You see, there is a dustbin of the DSCC with huge waste throng there in street which made the way totally blocked. If one wants to walk through the street, beside the dustbin avoiding the waste, he may be hit by any running vehicles,” said Shahidul Islam, a small businessman of Jurain Bazar.
DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon said, “We will start eviction drives against all illegal grabbers. No one will be spared. No political leader or other influential persons would be allowed to stay in the people’s lands. We take every necessary step to evict the grabbers.”
Experts and the stakeholders said, it is highly important to recover the lands of the street immediately and make it four lanes for different types of vehicles.
Sources said, the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Authority will start eviction drives when the bridge will be near to complete. But it is highly necessary to free the street to save the huge numbers of people from the untold sufferings.
A number of truck drivers alleged that some dishonest traffic police personnel frequently stopped them and collect extortions. It also causes the traffic jam in the bridge area.
“Some dishonest traffic police stopped trucks even five times in the in front of the bridge. They collect money from us. It also causes the huge tailback. We see no solution of it yet,” a truck driver said, preferring anonymity.
When contacted, Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (traffic) Mosleh Uddin said, “The authority is in zero tolerance about such activities of the police. If anyone submits allegations against any police officials are found involved in collecting extortions then they must face strict departmental action.”
