The Dhaka North City Corporation began an eviction drive on Wednesday to remove illegal structures encroaching on the Haikka canal in the Katasur area of Mohammadpur.
During the drive, which began at about 11:30am and continued until 4:30pm, one two-storey building was completely demolished, while parts of a three-storey building were also torn down.
Five tin-shed houses were also demolished in presence of members from law enforcement agencies, including the army.
Executive magistrate Saiful Islam, who led the drive along with executive magistrates Farzana Khanom and Shahidul Islam, told the media that the operation would continue until all illegal structures were cleared from the canal鈥檚 land.
Local residents told 抖阴精品 that the illegal structures were built after 2010 by filling up parts of the canal.
During a visit to the area around 11:00am, occupants of two buildings constructed on canal land were seen moving their belongings to vacate the buildings.
Rahima, who built a tin-shed house two years ago by filling in part of the canal鈥攚hich was also demolished during the drive鈥攕aid she has nowhere else to go, as her home in Chandpur was washed away by the river many years ago.
Her husband works as a security guard, and their three children have already been married off.
Earlier in the morning, DNCC administrator Mohammad Azaz addressed the media, saying, 鈥榃e will clear the illegal structures from this canal (Haikka) and excavate it to establish a connection with the Lautola Canal. The wall of the DNCC cemetery will also be demolished to facilitate the water flow. This will allow rainwater and floodwater to flow through the canal, ultimately reaching the Turag.鈥�
He also said that religious institutions, political organisations, and even clubs once named after the country鈥檚 founding president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, were used to grab canals, water bodies, and public spaces in Dhaka city.
The administrator warned the grabbers to vacate government land, stating that otherwise, the DNCC would demolish the structures without prior notice.
Replying to a question regarding the illegal parking of trucks on Tejgaon road, the administrator said that the DNCC was working on a permanent solution to stop truck parking on the road and aimed to resolve the issue before the coming Eid-ul-Azha.
