The government has identified 4,500 houses in Dhaka city that either lack Rajuk's approval or had violated the city development authority's approved design, Housing and Public Works Minister Mosharraf Hossain has said.
Addressing the parliament Monday, the minister said illegal sections of 70 buildings have already been removed while fines and cases have been filed against owners of the unapproved buildings.
Responding to a query, Mosharraf said it was partially true that some housing companies were responsible of choking the city's water drainage system by illegally filling the low-lying water-bodies around the capital.
“The government is trying heart and soul to stop those companies from such illegal activity. Actions are being taken under the Wetland Protection Act against the companies that illegally fill wetlands and the identified canals,” he added.
The minister also said the National Housing Authority has not permitted any organisation to construct any housing project by filling up any canal or water-body.
The weaknesses in the capital's water drainage system came to light again following the recent spells of heavy rain.
City planners say illegal occupation of land interferes with the natural discharge of rainwater, in turn contributing to gridlock on the roads.
Politically influential land-grabbers have been repeatedly blamed by different authorities concerned for illegally occupying water bodies, open spaces, footpaths and roads in and around Dhaka.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority has identified 7,154 individuals and organisations as encroachers.
Wasa sources said there were originally 65 canals, but over the course of time the number has come down to 43. Of these, some 20 canals have died out, many have been filled with garbage and others are being encroached upon by land-grabbers.