Paris Canal restoration begins as Mayor Atiq's 2-day ultimatum to occupiers end

The restoration work of Mirpur's Paris Canal has begun under the guidance of Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam.

City corporation workers, locals along with 1,200 volunteers of BD Clean started the cleaning work around 10:30am today (2 February).

The restoration work will be conducted in phases.

In the first phase, the canal is being cleaned to ensure water flow and in the second stage a walkway will be built in the space left after ensuring 40 feet wide space for the canal.

The mayor himself got down into the canal with gloves to join the volunteers and city corporation workers.

Earlier on 31 January, visiting the canal, Mayor Atiq gave a 2-day ultimatum to the canal occupiers to move out, announcing that the city corporation will launch a drive from Friday morning to restore the canal.

Restoration work of Paris Canal began in the morning of 2 February 2024. Photo: TBS

While participating in the cleaning programme today, he said, "Once upon a time, the Mirpur Paris Canal used to be used by launches, and today that canal has turned into a wasteland. Due to dirt, there is no water in this canal. The local people should be ashamed, they have trashed this canal, occupied it and strangled it to death. 

"Volunteers have sprung up to clean the canal spontaneously today on a holiday. But these children were supposed to play sports in the field today, they were supposed to rest at home. But they took part in the cleaning of canals without playing or resting. I appeal to the local people to learn from this and stop throwing garbage in the canal."

Even a little rain causes flooding in the area, because water cannot flow through this canal. If water could flow through the Paris Canal, this waterlogging would not exist, said the mayor. 

Mayor Atiq gives 2-day ultimatum to Mirpur's Paris Canal occupiers to move out

"Everyone says that the city corporation does nothing to solve the waterlogging. I would like to tell the residents that if you stop throwing garbage in the canal, there will be no waterlogging. Not only the city, you also have to take responsibility," he added.

Meanwhile, speaking about his 2-day ultimatum to the canal grabbers, he said many have begun removing their establishment and the city corporation have begun measuring the canal's area.

"Buildings falling within the canal space will be demolished. However, there are some slums in some of the places. I have given them a month to move out.

"I could have demolished all today with bulldozers but I chose to gave them some time. If they don't move out during the stipulated time, they will be evicted," he said

Also present during the campaign were DNCC Chief Engineer Brig Gen Md Amirul Islam, Chief Waste Management Officer Commodore SM Sharif-ul Islam, Chief Health Officer Brig Gen Imrul Kayes Chowdhury, Chief Property Officer Mahe Alam, Executive Officer of Region-2 Ziaur Rahman, Ward No.03 Councilor Kazi Zahirul Islam Manik and others.