Karnaphully Dry Dock Ltd. encroached BMA jetty and its waterfront
One can extract information from the attached letters that explain how a private company encroached property of Bangladesh Marine Academy.
Karnaphuly Dry Dock Ltd. received a land allocation from GOB to build their dockyard beside Bangladesh Marine Academy premises. In addition to utilizing government appropriated land, they extended their facilities well inside the Bangladesh Marine Academy compound by the way of the BMA jetty and the waterfront.
Karnaphuly Dry Dock Ltd. [KDDL] commenced development of the land during 2012/2013 in several phases, without obtaining the NOC from the Bangladesh Marine Academy. A NOC was mandatory as per permission they received from the government.
Not only did they encroach over 500 yards inside the Marine Academy compound, they commenced an In-Situ foundation piling. This has created unsafe plying (navigation) of the Marine Academy boats that hampered the training of the Academy cadets.
Commandant of BMA objected and written letters to the Shipping Secretary on 11 April 2017 [Letter no: 18.451.014.00.00.109.201-371] and he also wrote to the DC of Chittagong to acquire the adjacent remaining vacant area for the BMA with copies to variously related authorities on 25 April 2017 [Letter no: 18.451.014.00.00.109.2018-410].
The Ministry of Shipping [MoS] issued an instruction to Ctg. Port, DC-Ctg., SP-Ctg, Director Environment – Ctg, Deputy Director ACC- Ctg. & OC – Anawara Thana to stop the work of KDDL on 04 May 2017 [letter no: 18.00.0000.017.06.007.14 (part) – 200. MoS had formed a committee to look into the matter on 15 May 2017 [Letter no: 18.00.0000.017.06.007.14(part)-227].
According to the report, MoS issued a letter advising all concerned to stop the non-approved construction works on 15/06/2017 [Letter no: 18.00.0000.017.06.007.04 (part) – 288]. Similar letters were also issued by the DC – Revenue – Ctg. on 02 May 2017 for an inspection [Letter n: 05.042.1500.302.12.009.2017-939] and from MOS on 04 May 2017 to stop KDDL construction temporarily.
Eventually MoS issued letter no: 18.00.0000.021.18.042.17-51 dt. 07 Feb. 2018 to complete their construction as per approved drawing/design without any hindrance to the Academy training, the safety of Ctg. Port and movement of all local and International vessels.
Above notification gives a good overview of the dedicated work done by the Commandant of BMA to get the required support from various government departments.
Presently, it appears that Karnaphuly Drydock Ltd. has re-started their work after a brief pause and running in full swing, which may eventually render Marine academy jetty unusable.
This important turn of events should provide the BMA alumni to come together to consider action as necessary.
