Ten rights organissations on Saturday demanded immediate cancellation of all the leases of lands on the banks of the Buriganga River by Bangladesh Inland Water Transportation Authority (BIWTA).
In a joint statement, they expressed concern over reports published in national dailies about leased out lands on the banks of the river.
The organisations include National Committee to Protect River, Road and Railway, Green Club of Bangladesh, Citizen’s Rights Movement and Nirapad Naupath Bastabayan Committee.
Claiming that leasing out lands on the banks of Buriganga is a clear violation of a High Court directive in this regard, they also demanded tough punishment of the officials involved in the leasing out of lands in the vicinity of the river.
Earlier at a discussion meeting in the city on March 5, member secretary of the National Committee Rafiqul Islam said the lands so far leased out on the banks of the Buriganga include 400 square feet of plot to 11 people each inside the Backland Dam in the name of transit shade, 4,5 or 7 decimals of plots to 68 people each in Gabtali area, 5 acres of land to eight people near Amin Bazar landing station and 67 acres of land to a number of people at Sowarighat.
Source: UNBConnect
