Turag choked, authorities remain silent

A spinning mill now stands on a flood plain earmarked as conservable in the capital's master plan with the authorities playing the role of onlookers.   

Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), the official custodian of the master plan, did little to stop the construction of the mill on the flood plain of the Turag river near Dhour Bridge in Tongi.

On March 10 last year, the Rajuk in a "token" eviction drive with 10 labourers knocked down only 100-square feet of a brick wall of the 9292-square metre spinning mill being built there.

Led by Executive Magistrate AKM Maruf Hasan, the Rajuk team comprising Deputy Town Planner Kamrul Hasan Sohag and Authorised Officer Parvez Khadem conducted the drive on the grounds that the spinning mill, then under-construction, was being illegally built in gross violation of the wetland and environment conservation laws and capital's master plan.

Rajuk has turned a blind eye on the whole matter except for a perfunctory drive in March last year when the mill's construction was underway. Photo: Sk Enamul Haq

A few days later, the mill owners resumed the construction work. They further extended their construction with an interim High Court injunction barring eviction. The Rajuk kept virtually silent and facilitated the HC move with a feeble legal battle and no follow up.

The Turag river near Dhour Bridge kept shrinking into a narrow channel as land claimants encroached on both sides of the river with the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, district administrations and Department of Environment playing the role of silent spectators.

Asked how it all happened, Rajuk Chairman GM Jainal Abedin Bhuiyan said, "Did it really happen? I will look into it."