Local influentials have illegally taken possession of more than 5,000sq-ft of a canal in Char Lawrence area under Komolnagor upazila, Lakshmipur, to construct 30 buildings, causing damage to the harvest of several thousand acres of agricultural land around the canal.
Local farmers claimed the illegal construction created a waterlog in the area, which was causing harm to their harvest.
They also accused the local Water Development Board (WDB) officials of leasing out the canal and assisting in the illegal land grabbing.
Investigation revealed that 32 local influential people, including alleged land grabber Abdur Rob Patowari, Jahir Uddin Titu, Shahin Alam, Borhan Uddin and Shofi, took conditional lease of 456 sq-ft of the canal.
However, they took possession of more than 5,000sq-ft instead and started construction of 30 buildings, around 60% of which have been completed. This has created a waterlog, as a large part of the canal is filled up.
Some of the locals, who requested anonymity, claimed several complaints had been placed before the WDB officials in this regard, but to no avail.
Sirajul Islam, a local farmer, complained that their harvest was getting damaged due to the waterlog, especially during the monsoon, as there is no way to drain the excess water.
On the other hand, Shahin Alam and other alleged grabbers claimed that they were constructing the building only on the part of the canal leased out to them.
However, when asked whether they had overlooked any condition of the lease, they could not give an answer.
Jashim Uddin, surveyor of WDB in Lakshmipur, said the conditions of the five-year lease clearly stated that permanent construction was not allowed on the canal, and the lessees were allowed to build only tin-shed houses.
Denying the accusation of assisting the illegal possession, ATM Khalequzzaman, executive engineer of WDB in Lakshmipur, said he had found the allegation of illegal possession to be true, and had written to the district administration to take strict action against the grabbers.