Two local leaders -- one from the ruling party and the other belonging to the Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal -- have allegedly filled up two ponds of the Bangladesh Railway at Sonatala upazila in Bogra.
This has blocked the drainage facilities on the Sonatala Municipal and Upazila Parishad premises. Locals fear that they will have to suffer due to the filling of the ponds, with the rainy season approaching.
However, the ruling party leader rejected the allegation brought against him while the leader of Swechchhasebak Dal, the volunteer wing of the main opposition BNP, was not available for his comments.
Sonatala Municipal Awami League General Secretary Mizanur Rahman and Upazila Swechchhasebak Dal leader Mostak Ahmed Liton recently occupied the ponds and had them filled with sand, according to locals.
Residents alleged that the upazila administration did not take action because the men in question are “influential”. But they now demand stern action against the duo and proper measures to restore the ponds.
Sources said that the railway authorities own the two ponds that are leased out to fishermen every year. However, this reporter found that the ponds are nonexistent now as they are already filled with soil.
As a result, the lone drainage facility flowing beside the Sheikh Russell Mini Stadium cannot go beyond the boundary of the pond.
Local people fear that the adjacent areas will be waterlogged during monsoon.
When contacted, Mizanur said that he does not own any land there and is not involved in occupying any pond belonging to the railways. He termed the allegations baseless and a ploy to defame him politically.
Meanwhile, Liton did not respond to phone calls from this reporter.
Assistant Station Master of Sonatala Railway Station Vasudev said: "The higher authorities have already been informed of the incident."
Saidur Rahman, assistant executive engineer at Bogra Railway Station, said that he received a complaint in this regard and legal action will be taken against those involved after an investigation.
Sonatala Municipality Mayor Jahangir Alam Akand Nannu said: " Mizanur and Liton occupied the ponds stretching across one bigha land and filled them up with soil.
“This will stop the water drainage system in most areas of the municipality. Flooding will occur during the monsoon season.”
He also said that the matter was reported to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), but no solution was reached.
Nannu sought the strict intervention of the government department concerned in this regard so the ponds could be restored.
Sonatala UNO Sayeda Parveen said: "The railway authorities have been informed about the occupation of the ponds and that they have been asked to take immediate action."