Evict 126 illegal structures built on Chaktai, Rajakhali canals: HC 

The High Court (HC) directed the government to evict 126 structures illegally built on Chaktai and Rajakhali Canals in Chattogram city within 90 days. 

A bench of Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order on Wednesday, after hearing a writ petition filed by the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB). 

HRPB's lawyer Advocate Monzil Morshid told The Business Standard that the court also asked the authorities concerned to mark the actual boundaries of the two canals within this period. 

The HC also asked the government to give two weeks' time to land grabbers for removal of illegal structures at their own costs and asked to take necessary action against the grabbers.

Secretaries to environment, finance, Local Government, Rural Development & Co-operatives (LGRD) and water resources ministries, Chattogram city mayor, Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) Chairman, Director General of Department of Environment, ChattogramPolice Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner (land) of Bakalia and officer-in charge of Bakalia police station have been asked to comply with the order.  

Following a court order on 6 June 2016, the deputy commissioner of Chattogram recently submitted a report to the HC saying that there are 65 structures on the land of Chaktai canal and 61 structures on the Rajakhali canal.

Lawyers Manzill Murshid and Ripan Barai appeared for the petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General SK Saifuzzaman represented the state in the court.

In the hearing, Manzill Murshid said, "Even though filling of canals is prohibited under the Environment Protection Act 1995 and Water body Conservation Act 2000, the flow of water has been halted by occupying the land of the canals in front of the eyes of the district administration."

For the encroachment of canals, lakhs of people living in Chattogram city are facing difficulties due to waterlogging, he added.