Rajshahi Mayor AHM Khairuzzman Liton today bore the brunt for his cousin’s misdeed and paid a fine as the latter had occupied a footpath by keeping construction materials on it.

The incident took place during a drive in the city conducted by a mobile court of Rajshahi City Corporation when the executive magistrate found that the mayor’s cousin AHM Saiduzzman Nipun was occupying the footpath by keeping construction materials on it in front of his house at the Greater Road area, reports our Rajshahi correspondent.

As the mobile court fined Nipun Tk 10, 000 for the offence, he began lobbying with the mayor for exemption of the fine, said Executive Magistrate Samar Kumar Paul.

“The mayor then called me up and asked me to overlook the matter. However, I refused to do so since the mayor himself sent me out in the drive,” Paul said, adding that the mayor then sent the fine money from “his own pocket”.

The mobile court today conducted drive from RMCH Bondogate point of the Greater Road and continued to the City Haat and Aam Chattar areas.

Two concrete offices of local units of Awami League were also demolished during the drive as those were built by occupying roadsides illegally.

On its way, the mobile court found the offices of Awami League unit at Ward no. 14 near Rajshahi Divisional Stadium and Sechchhasebak League unit at Ward no. 3 near City Convention Centre.

Following a bargain with local AL leaders, the magistrate ordered to demolish the offices as those were illegally occupying government properties for last several years.

The city’s footpaths have begun to become friendly for pedestrians and road users since Rajshahi City Corporation began the 11-day drive on April 15 against illegal occupants of footpaths and roadsides, the executive magistrate said. 

Around 800 illegal structures were removed from roadsides and footpaths and around Tk 2 lakh was realised as fines for keeping construction materials on roadsides in the last five days of the drive, he said.

The drive will continue till April 25 with assistance of the police and the corporation employees.

The corporation has been regularly seeking cooperation of all concerned for a success of the drive by announcing through loudspeakers and publishing newspaper advertisements in this regard.