Century-old pond being filled up in port city
A large part of a century-old pond has been filled up in Chattogram city's Halishahar area, ignoring instruction of the Department of Environment (DoE).
The three-acre waterbody locally known as "Dhopa Pukur" is located at Dhopa Para in the city.
Locals alleged that the western part of the pond has been filled up by two persons -- Masudur Rahman Masud and Nasir Uddin Nasir -- without prior permission from the authorities concerned. They also "influenced" Sub-inspector Nasir Uddin of Bandar Police Station, who is also in-charge of Madham Halishahar Police Outpost, to look the other way.
Contacted, Masud and Nasir claimed that they purchased the land from four brothers including one named Mehedi.
While visiting the spot, this correspondent saw four newly-built thatched houses on the filled-up portion. A signboard reading "Ma Dairy Farm" was seen on a house while another signboard -- "Private Properties of Sirajuddowla Gong-Fish Project" -- was placed in the middle of the pond.
Both the signs had same mobile number. When called, a person introducing himself as Mehedi responded.
Asked about filling up the waterbody, he said, "It's our private property and we have just filled a portion of its bank."
When this correspondent mentioned about getting permission from the DoE, he hung up, saying, "I will call you back after talking to my brothers."
He did not pick up afterwards.
Contacted, Masud, who built the structures, said, "We just filled up the bank, which was eroded by rain a long time ago."
"We have documents that show we are the rightful owners," he said. He, however, admitted that they did not take permission from the authorities concerned before filling up a part of the reservoir.
Meanwhile, SI Nasir denied the allegations brought against him. "I don't know details of the incident. I heard there was a situation there and a police team went to resolve it a few days ago."
Asked, Bandar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sukanto Chawkrabarty said, "Receiving a phone call from 999, we sent a team to stop people from filling up the pond."
The area falls under ward-37 (Halishahar-Munirnagar).Its Councillor Md Safiul Alam said, "It's a 100-year-old pond. I heard about the matter but could not go there as I was in isolation after being diagnosed with Covid-19."
DoE Chattogram (Metro) Director Mohammad Nurullah Nur said, "We are yet to receive any complaint in this regard. According to law, no one can fill up a waterbody, even if it's privately-owned, without DoE permission. We will look into the matter," he added.
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