An eviction drive was conducted at a slum in Bhasantek by the National Housing Authority (NHA) yesterday.

The eviction drive was carried out in presence of a magistrate of the NHA and policemen, said Munshi Sabbir Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Bhasantek Police Station, told The Daily Star.   

During the day-long drive, nearly 10-acres of government land were recovered by demolishing thousands of houses in slum, said the OC.

National Housing Authority (NHA) conducts an eviction drive at a slum in Bhashantek of Dhaka on Tuesday, February 19, 2019. The photo shows that a woman is cooking food under the open sky in the slum. Photo: Amran Hossain/Star

People from different professions including ready-made garment workers, day labourers and rickshaw pullers have been living in the state-owned space illegally for long, added the OC.

M Javed, a witness, told The Daily Star that the drive team demolished nearly 2000 shanties in Bhasantek slum no.3.

Around 10,000 people had been living in the slum for around 20 years, he said. 

National Housing Authority (NHA) conducts an eviction drive at a slum in Bhashantek of Dhaka on Tuesday, February 19, 2019. Photo: Amran Hossain/Star

An NHA official said in 1970 the government acquired the land and since then it had been grabbed and used illegally by locals. He added that although several notices have been given the slum dweller, they still did not vacate the area.

The housing authority and police asked the slum dwellers many times, including the night before the drive, to vacate but they did not pay any attention, he said. 

Many of the dwellers could not save their valuables as they were out of their houses for work, Javed said.

Abdullah Hil Baki, subdivisional engineer (Dhaka) of NHA, said the drive began yesterday morning and will continue for a project titled “Griho Shuchona Flat” for building construction.

National Housing Authority (NHA) conducts an eviction drive at a slum in Bhashantek of Dhaka on Tuesday, February 19, 2019. Photo: Amran Hossain/Star