Rajuk demolishes councilor's office built by encroaching on DIT pond in Old Dhaka
Saidur Rahman Sahid, former councilor of ward-47 in Dhaka South City Corporation, had leased the pond from Zakir Hossain and constructed the building by filling in the pond.
The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) on Thursday demolished illegal structures including a ward councillor's office that were erected by filling in the century-old DIT pond in the Gandaria area of Dhaka.
Rajuk Executive Magistrate Sharmin Ara led the operation.
Back in June, Rajuk had already dismantled unauthorised structures in the vicinity of the DIT pond.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
During that drive, Rajuk spared the office of the councillor of ward-47 and a two-storey building, granting a seven-day period for them to voluntarily remove those constructions.
Subsequently, a Dhaka court provided a three-month grace period before demolishing the illegal structures. The grace period ended on 5 September and had not been extended.
Zakir Hossain, who took possession of the land, claimed that he gained ownership of it after a legal battle with Rajuk for 28 years.
When the executive magistrate asked Zakir Hossain if Rajuk had approved the construction of the structures, he confirmed that no such approval had been obtained. Consequently, the executive magistrate ordered the demolition of the structures there.
