DoE summons JP leader Solaiman over illegal pond filling in Ctg

The Department of Environment (DoE) Chattogram Metropolitan Office has summoned Jatiya Party's Chattogram city unit president and businessman Solaiman Alam Seth over allegations of illegally filling up a pond in the port city's Kazir Dewri area.

The directive was issued in an official letter today, signed by Sonia Sultana, director of the DoE's Chattogram city office.

According to the letter, a DoE team visited the site on July 3 and found evidence that a portion of a pond had been filled without prior permission--an act that violates the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act and its associated regulations.

For this, Solaiman has been asked to appear before the office at 12:00pm on July 8 to explain the matter.

When contacted by The Daily Star, Solaiman denied the allegation, claiming he was not responsible for filling the pond.

"People from nearby hotels or others might have dumped waste into the pond. I'm not the one doing it," he said.

However, he admitted that security guards stationed on the pond's bank—on land he owns—had placed some soil inside a structure in the area.