IT has been reported in the media that over 22,500 acres of wetland, including water bodies and flood-flow zones, in and around the Dhaka city have been filled up by individuals, private companies and government agencies in last nine years since Dhaka’s Detailed Area Plan came in effect in 2010. Bangladesh Institute of Planners on Thursday revealed the findings in a presentation analysing satellite images of different areas, including Tarabo, Bhulta, Purbachal, Kaliganj, Tongi, Gazipur, Savar and Keraniganj, under Dhaka’s two city corporations.
What’s most disturbing matter is that the filled up land is about 22 per cent of capital’s total 100,937 acres of land under the DAP. Not only that, such a vast area was encroached even after the enactment of three laws namely: The Open Space and Natural Water Reservoir Conservation Act 2000, Bangladesh Environment Conservation (Amended) Act 2010 and Bangladesh Water Act 2013. We doubt whether there is any existence of government monitoring, or not.
The study has identified 50 organisations for grabbing lands along the Turag between Diyabari and Birulia Bridge. These are ABC Ready Mix, Akij Ready Mix, Amin Mohammad Group, Biswas Builders Limited, Crown Ready Mix, JTEG Ready Mix, K Mix, Maisha Construction Private Limited, Mir Akter and Seven Rings Ready Mix, NDE Ready Mix, Shamim Group, Singapore Garden Restaurant, Spectra Engineers Limited, Tamanna Family Park, TCL Asphalt and Tex Euro Bd. It was also revealed that Aminbazar Sanitary was founded after the then Dhaka City Corporation developed an area by filling up land for the company along the flood-flow zone of the Turag in Aminbazar area in 2007.
We see an unholy nexus among businesses, government officials and politicians is behind the land grabbing while local police station provides all sorts of cooperation. The government is apparently unaware about the problem though its magnitude at present has exceeded the reality. On the other hand, RAJUK -the sole authority to keep the capital under a planned structure-has totally failed to play its desired role. Widespread corruption and irregularities have made the organisation inactive and worthless.
Without the support of politicians it is impossible to grab land in important areas. Political will is a must to save the capital from destroying.
What’s most disturbing matter is that the filled up land is about 22 per cent of capital’s total 100,937 acres of land under the DAP. Not only that, such a vast area was encroached even after the enactment of three laws namely: The Open Space and Natural Water Reservoir Conservation Act 2000, Bangladesh Environment Conservation (Amended) Act 2010 and Bangladesh Water Act 2013. We doubt whether there is any existence of government monitoring, or not.
The study has identified 50 organisations for grabbing lands along the Turag between Diyabari and Birulia Bridge. These are ABC Ready Mix, Akij Ready Mix, Amin Mohammad Group, Biswas Builders Limited, Crown Ready Mix, JTEG Ready Mix, K Mix, Maisha Construction Private Limited, Mir Akter and Seven Rings Ready Mix, NDE Ready Mix, Shamim Group, Singapore Garden Restaurant, Spectra Engineers Limited, Tamanna Family Park, TCL Asphalt and Tex Euro Bd. It was also revealed that Aminbazar Sanitary was founded after the then Dhaka City Corporation developed an area by filling up land for the company along the flood-flow zone of the Turag in Aminbazar area in 2007.
We see an unholy nexus among businesses, government officials and politicians is behind the land grabbing while local police station provides all sorts of cooperation. The government is apparently unaware about the problem though its magnitude at present has exceeded the reality. On the other hand, RAJUK -the sole authority to keep the capital under a planned structure-has totally failed to play its desired role. Widespread corruption and irregularities have made the organisation inactive and worthless.
Without the support of politicians it is impossible to grab land in important areas. Political will is a must to save the capital from destroying.
