The government has started construction work of 40 kilometers key-wall and 52 kilometers walkway on the retrieved banks of the four rivers Buriganga, Turag, Balu and and Shitalakhya around Dhaka, which have been recovered from the grip of occupants recently. It is expected that the work will be completed by 2022.
The information was revealed at a meeting on Wednesday of the government’s taskforce on river protection at the Shipping Ministry with State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud in the chair. The meeting was informed that a project is being implemented to build 40 kilometres key-wall, 52 kilometres walkway, three eco-parks, 19 RCC jetties and other infrastructures and set up 10,820 boundary pillars on the recovered banks of the rivers. The project will be completed by 2022.
The government evicted 5,239 illegal structures from the banks of the rivers around Dhaka and recovered 145 acres of embankments from January to June this year. Besides, about Taka 9 crore was realised from the grabbers through auction and as penalty, the meeting was told. It was informed that Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) installed 9,577 boundary pillars on riverbanks during 2010-2019 and recovered 612 acres of land removing illegal structures. About 378 acres of land was recovered in Dhaka while 233 acres in Narayanganj. A total of 15,592 illegal establishments were removed in Dhaka and Narayanganj.
Speaking at the meeting, Khalid said as per the instruction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, eviction drives continue on the riverbanks aiming to save the country’s rivers. He expressed gratitude to the home minister for giving overall support for carrying out the eviction drives on riverbanks.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin, Shipping Secretary Abdus Samad, Water Resources Secretary Kabir Bin Anwar, Industries Secretary Abdul Halim and National River Conservation Commission (NRCC) chairman Dr Muzibur Rahman Howlader were, among others, present at the meeting.