Around 145.1 acres of land have been reclaimed along the rivers surrounding Dhaka while demolishing 5,239 illegal establishments from January to June this year.
Besides, Tk8.64 crore has been realized through auction and Tk27 lakh as fines during the period.
The information was revealed by Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in a meeting of the task force formed by the Shipping Ministry to put forward and implement recommendations to keep the navigability and natural flow of the country's major rivers normal on Wednesday.
It was said a project is underway to construct a 52km walkway, 10,820 boundary pillars, three eco parks, six pontoons, 40kms of key wall, 19 RCC jetties and 409 sitting benches on the reclaimed land of the Buriganga, Turag, Shitalakkhya, and Balu rivers. The project will be implemented by 2022.
During the meeting it was also informed that 9,577 pillars were set up to demarcate the boundary of the rivers. "There are controversies regarding 3,855 pillars and out of them, disputes about 2,114 pillars have been disposed of."
The meeting was told that Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) reclaimed 612.22 acres of land along the rivers across the country from 2010 to 2019.
Currently, dredging work is underway under seven projects to enhance the navigability of the rivers.
State Minister for Shipping and task force President Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury presided over the meeting.