Barisal Correspondent :
A drive for evicting illegal structures from the Rasulpur area on the bank of the Kirtonkhola River was foiled amid protest from illegal settlers on Saturday.
The land was owned by Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authourity (BIWTA) adjacent to Barisal river port. However we forced to stop within half an hour of starting eviction drive due to interference of local residence of the area on Saturday noon, said Mustafizur Rahman, Barisal River Port Officer.
Nazmul Ahsan Khan, assistant Commissioner (Land), Barisal Sadar Upazila and executive magistrate in charge of operating eviction drive on behalf of BIWTA, said they started eviction drive against 211 structures after giving prior notice at about 11:00 AM Saturday as per direction by High Court.
Residents of the enlisted 211 illegal structures were noticed earlier to remove their structures voluntarily, but they ignored the notice. After starting the drive they becoming violent forced us to postponed the operation, the AC Land told.
Now, we called a meeting with local councilor, influential, residents to solve the problem and resume the postponed eviction drive again, he added.
However Abdullah Al Kabir Dhali, a leader of Rasulpur slum area, said following court order we were voluntarily trying to remove our structures situated within 40 feet from river bank. But BIWTA and land officials negotiating with influential, started eviction drive only against the poor slum people excluding the structures of the influential.
At least eight people including four females became injured by the baton charge of police when they protested the drive, he added.
A drive for evicting illegal structures from the Rasulpur area on the bank of the Kirtonkhola River was foiled amid protest from illegal settlers on Saturday.
The land was owned by Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authourity (BIWTA) adjacent to Barisal river port. However we forced to stop within half an hour of starting eviction drive due to interference of local residence of the area on Saturday noon, said Mustafizur Rahman, Barisal River Port Officer.
Nazmul Ahsan Khan, assistant Commissioner (Land), Barisal Sadar Upazila and executive magistrate in charge of operating eviction drive on behalf of BIWTA, said they started eviction drive against 211 structures after giving prior notice at about 11:00 AM Saturday as per direction by High Court.
Residents of the enlisted 211 illegal structures were noticed earlier to remove their structures voluntarily, but they ignored the notice. After starting the drive they becoming violent forced us to postponed the operation, the AC Land told.
Now, we called a meeting with local councilor, influential, residents to solve the problem and resume the postponed eviction drive again, he added.
However Abdullah Al Kabir Dhali, a leader of Rasulpur slum area, said following court order we were voluntarily trying to remove our structures situated within 40 feet from river bank. But BIWTA and land officials negotiating with influential, started eviction drive only against the poor slum people excluding the structures of the influential.
At least eight people including four females became injured by the baton charge of police when they protested the drive, he added.
