In a rejoinder, the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has disagreed with some parts of a news published in the Bangladesh Post on August 31, 2021.
The rejoinder issued on Sunday said that the news published in the Bangladesh Post, Dated 31st August has come to the notice of the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA). The news was made on the basis of surmise and conjecture. No prior statement was taken from the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA). The news was baseless, the rejoinder added.
The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) did not lease out the river land to any illegal occupants. In the last two consecutive years, CPA recovered 100 acres of land from the illegal occupants, it further said.
“It is to be mentioned that there is no truck terminal in the middle of the river in Bakalia Side. Actually it is impossible to have a Truck Terminal in the middle of the river.”
“It is alleged in the news that a market, known as sheep market, has also been illegally established by occupying 12-meter of the river near the Karnaphuli Bridge, while there are over five hundred illegal installations there. But, actually, there is no Sheep Market in the CPA Premises. It belongs to the Deputy Commissioner, Chattogram.”
“From the west side of Chaktai Canal to Firingibazar, CPA has 15 acres vacant land which is now using for the Capital Dredging done by Hydrography Department of CPA and Sluice Gate constructed by Chittagong Development Authority (CDA).”
“It is alleged in the news that the Mariners Park has been completely occupied by the encroachers. Some 147 acres of the area is identified as the Karnaphuli River, which was filled and encroached to make fish markets and slums. But it is false and vague.”
The reporter’s statement:
Before preparing the report, this reporter had visited different parts of the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram and talked to environmental organizations, Chattogram DC and the local police authority.
In the report, Mominur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of Chattogram, confirmed Bangladesh Post in his statement that he had received an order from the Local Government Ministry of the government to evict the river encroachers.
Besides, the truck terminal that has been set up in Bakalia area is under the umbrella of local politicians. A few days later, the police conducted an operation there and evicted the stand, but later the stand was reoccupied.
With the establishment of the sheep market, the occupants of the river Karnaphuli are being attacked and shot every day. One Abu Tayab was stabbed to death here in October, 2020.
In the vicinity of Mariners Park on the banks of the river, it can be seen that occupants have built slums there in exchange for money.
Environmental groups have been campaigning for recovery of the lands since the beginning but in vain.
