DC seeks report on alleged malpractice

Upazila nirbahi officers (UNO) of Kulaura and Juri along with other officials yesterday visited Gugalicherra river in Ashurighat area of Kulaura under the district.

Earlier, following a Daily Star report titled "Gugalicherra dying for being leased as wetland" on October 29, the deputy commissioner asked for detailed reports about the river from the UNOs.

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"Gugalicherra is a flowing river running through the haor area of Moulvibazar district. But the local administrations leased it, showing it as a 'stagnant water body'," Hashim Mia, 57, a resident of Shahpur village in Juri upazila, said during this correspondent's visit to the river area yesterday.

Tahsina Begum, UNO of Kulaura, said, "I along with Juri UNO visited the Gugalicherra river. After investigation, I will submit report to Moulvibazar deputy commissioner."

"We want cancellation of the lease of Gugalicherra, reinstating its officially recognised category as a river and taking administrative action against the officials who had changed its category to lease it," said Abdul Karim Kim, general secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon's Sylhet unit.

Sharif Jamil, coordinator of Water Keeper Bangladesh, said the policy to authorise local administration to lease out river areas in the name of degraded wetland would lead to abuse of rivers in different areas of the country.