Despite many reports published in different media, including the Dhaka Tribune on December 12, a group of land grabbers have been continuing construction of a kitchen market on a canal near Nathullabad area in Barisal city.
Following the reports, the authorities concerned had taken no action in this regard.
Construction of 18 shops on 300 yards of the canal has been in full swing since last month.
Visiting the spot yesterday, we found that the squatters, led by Nathullabad Khudra Bebosayee Samity, President Mokbul Mirdha and Sub-Assistant Land Officer Zillur Rahman, had constructed roofs on their structures.
Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, an activist of a movement for the preservation and recovery of canals, ponds and wetlands in the city, alleged that not only did the authorities concerned fail to protect the canal, but that they were instigating the squatters to fill up the wetlands.
Mokbul Mridha claimed that the Barisal City Corporation mayor had permitted him to run a kitchen market on the spot.
On the other hand, Zillur Rahman claimed that after taking a lease from Barisal Zila Parishad legally, and with consent and permission of the BCC mayor, he had started the construction work of the kitchen market.
However, Ahsan Habib Kamal, BCC mayor, denied giving any permission to construct a kitchen market on the canal.
Makbul Hossain, chief executive officer of Barisal Zila Parishad, asserted that the parishad never leased the canal to anybody.
BCC Market Inspector Abdus Salam said after visiting the spot he would submit a report against illegal construction of the kitchen market.
BCC Chief Executive Officer Nikhil Chandra Das, who earlier said a group of small businessmen had requested him to give them 10 days to remove the illegal structures, claimed that he did not know of any developments to the status of their request.
He also said if BCC authorities directed him, he would carry out an eviction.