Despite Barisal City Corporation issuing a notice to stop construction work of three shops on a canal in Sagordi area, a leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League is still continuing construction of the shops.
After visiting the spot and talking with the local people, it was learnt that construction of three shops on about 600 square feet is going on in full swing on the canal.
Suranjan Saha Babu alias Saha Babu, secretary of the Sagordi Kitchen Market committee, said Jasimuddin, city unit BCL president, was constructing the stalls for rent or lease.
Councilor of ward 23 Rijvi Chowdhury said four stalls of the Sagordi kitchen market were constructed on the bank of the canal and were leased to Abdul Aziz Hawladar, Balai, Surjyapal and Hossain in 1975.
During his tenure as a mayor of the city, Awami League city unit president Shawkat Hossain Hiron demolished the stalls in the name of reconstruction and development of the market, giving assurances that after the renovation works he would give lease of the shops to the old owners.
But the then mayor did not keep his words as he did not give lease of the shops to the previous lease holders.
He leased the shops to Kamal Pasha, brother-in law of BCL city unit president Jasimuddin, and Abul Hossain Arun, Jubo League leader.
The mayor also extended the area of the shops 20 feets into the canal.
Then, Jasimuddin started constructing three more stalls adjacent to those four stalls grabbing the canal and almost has completed the construction works, locals said.
But denying the allegation, Jasimuddin claimed owners of the leased stalls constructed embankments to prevent their establishments from erosion of the canal.
The local ward councilor said he had informed the matter to the authority of the Barisal City Corporation.
Humayun Kabir, executive engineer of the city corporation, said he had informed the higher authorities and requested them to issue notice to stop illegal construction and the notice was served on Sunday.
Rijvi Chowdhury, acknowledging the fact of issuing notice by BCC authority said an employee of BCC was assaulted and drove away by the cadres of the BCL leader when he came to serve the notice.
“The work is almost already complete there. In this situation, only giving notice without any rapid action, will not stop the grabbing process,” he added.
SM Shahzada, a canal and wetland recovery activist in the city, said Barisal town, once known as the ‘Venice of Bengal’ had nearly 600 ponds and water bodies.
The number of water bodies in the city has reduced because of rampant filling and encroachments, he said, adding, now the city has only four canals – Jail Khal, Sagordi Khal, Rayer Khal and Bhatar Khal.
He said the city corporation authority should take prompt measures to save the canal from encroachment.