The local people stopped the illegal digging

2023-04-19 16:31:48

Attempts to illegally cut canals in Dhaka’s Dhamrai have been blocked by local residents. The incident took place on Tuesday (April 18) at noon in Bagmara village of Khanaria union of the upazila.

Locals said, a surveyor of Dhamrai land office surveyed the canal of Bagmara village around noon. Shortly following this, Commissioner of the 2nd Ward of Dhamrai Municipality. Amjad Hossain, former commissioner Tobarak Hossain Kamal and brickyard owner Hira of Bagmara area appeared there with earth-cutting vehicles and trucks. They cut two trucks of soil from the canal. On hearing the news, the local people want to go there to see the government permission to cut the canal and want to know the reason for digging the canal. But they failed to respond. At one point, they left the soil of the truck there following seeing the dire situation.

Due to which canal digging is hindered

Locals said that regarding one kilometer of canal runs through Bagmara village. The land of the main canal is like 50-60 feet. 20-25 feet of which is inside the canal and the rest is on the bank. While there is water in the canal during the rainy season, there is no water in the canal during the dry season. For this reason, farmers cultivate rice in canals during the dry season. Even now there is paddy cultivation in that land. Which will be harvested following a few days. But suddenly they come to dig the canal and they want to know the reason.

Local farmer Rahim Ali said, “If they had given a notice or verbally, we would have asked for a few days.” So that I have time to cut the paddy. But all of a sudden they lifted the wagons and trucks over the paddy. However, since it is a government canal, we ask them whether they have official permission to cut it or not. Then they might not show any documents or permits. Then everyone in the village stopped them.

Another person named Saddam Hussain said that they came to cut the canal illegally. Then everyone in the area stopped. That’s why they move quickly.’

Accused said nothing regarding soil cutting

A vehicle and two trucks were used to dig the canal around noon on Tuesday. At that time, the Commissioner of the 2nd Ward of Dhamrai Municipality took the lead from being present at the scene. Amjad Hossain, former commissioner Tobarak Hossain Kamal and Heera, a bricklayer owner of Bagmara area.

All three people were contacted to know regarding the matter. In the meantime, Amjad Hossain admitted to cutting the soil and also said that there was no tender.

He said, UNO has asked to survey that canal. The canal will be dug. We want to lease the canal. So during the survey go and dig some soil and check whether the soil is right or not.

However, bricklayer businessman Hira and former commissioner Tobarak Hossain Kamal did not admit to cutting the soil. He even refused to comment directly on the matter. Meanwhile, Hira asked to contact UNO regarding the matter.

What the surveyor and UNO said

Upazila Land Office surveyor Milan Hossain went to survey the canal on the instructions of Dhamrai Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) to dig the canal.

He said, I went to survey on the instructions of UNO. Come to the end of the survey. The canal will be excavated later through open tender. No one has been given permission to cut yet. Not yet processed. It is in process. It is not officially approved. They went there to see. It was later discontinued.

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