Mindless construction threatens important installation in Magura
Influential businessman ignores notices
The four-vent Nabaganga regulator-cum-bridge, a key point installation (KPI) in Dhaka Road bus stand area of Magura town, faces threat as an influential businessman has continued earthwork for illegal construction of a multi-storied building on the adjacent land belonging to Water Development Board (WDB).Photo: STAR
An influential businessman has constructed a tin-shed structure and continued earth filling in the restricted area adjacent to the four-vent Nabaganga regulator, posing threat to the key point installation (KPI) in Dhaka Road bus stand area in Magura town. The mindless act has continued although the Water Development Board (WDB) served two notices to Rajab Ali Majnu, proprietor of Laboni Steel Corner in Magura town, on October 1 and 2, and filed a criminal case with Magura Sadar police station on October 6. Manju is known as an adherent of ruing Awami League. The two notices, one signed by Mohammad Matiur Rahman, sub-assistant engineer of Magura WDB, and the other by Mohammad Faruk Bhuyan, executive engineer of the office, asked Majnu to demolish his structure and stop the earth filling work. Copies of notices were also forwarded to the superintendent of police (SP) and the deputy commissioner (DC) of the district. "Rajab Ali Majnu, proprietor of Laboni Steel Corner in Magura town, has built a large tin-shed room occupying the approach road attached to the wing-wall of the regulator. He is doing earth filling work on the restricted land owned by the WDB to construct a multi-storied building, in violation of the KPI Act that prohibits any installation within 150 metres around it," goes the statement of the case filed by WDB official Mohammad Matiur Rahman on October 6. When asked, Rajab Ali Majnu claimed that he was running his construction work on 19 decimals of land that he purchased from one Firoza Khatun. "I have all the necessary documents in this regard," he added. WDB Assistant Director (Land and Revenue) Abdur Rahim, however, rejected Majnu's claim and said, "According to the S/A (state acquisition) records, Firoza Khatun is entitled to sell only six decimals of land on which Saikat Residential Hotel stands. But for his construction, Majnu has illegally occupied more areas of lands owned by WDB." "It's unfortunate that police has not taken any step against Majnu although he is involved in grabbing the land adjacent to a KPI," Faruk Bhuyan told this correspondent over cell phone. When contacted, Magura SP Zihadul Kabir asked this correspondent to contact the officer in charge (OC) concerned to know the details of the matter. "Although I received a petition signed by Matiur Rahman, sub-assistant engineer of WDB, we are yet to record it as the complainant did not submit supporting papers of the land that WDB officials claimed as belonging to their department," said Munshi Asaduzzaman, OC of Magura Sadar police station. Plaintiff Matiur Rahman said, "We filed the case for illegally constructing structure within 150 metres of Nabaganga regulator, in violation of the country's KPI Act. And so, the question of land document is irrelevant here." Sub-Divisional Engineer of Magura WDB Kanak Kumar Biswas said, "The Nabaganga regulator cum bridge on Magura-Dhaka highway is the gateway to 10 south-western districts from the capital. If any multi-storied building is constructed on the adjoining land, the key point installation as well as the communication system between Dhaka and the 10 districts will be threatened."
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