Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) today demolished illegal structures near old terminal of Sadarghat in the capital today.

The BIWTA started the eviction drive around 9:00am in compliance with a High Court order, AKM Arif Uddin, joint director of Dhaka River Port, told our staff photographer.

A total of 25 illegal structures were demolished till this afternoon when the report was filed.

A 2009 landmark High Court judgment for conservation of the country’s rivers said a river’s land is to be determined on the basis of CS and RS land records.

BIWTA insiders said a pattern of river grabbing has been observed in all rivers of the country. The river grabbers “manage” some title deeds for land of a delta which is larger than the delta itself. They then fill up portions of the river around the delta skillfully and alter the natural course and character of the river and its foreshores.