The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) and Dhaka Deputy Commissioner’s Office have failed to relocate a mosque, a mosque-cum-madrasa, and a two-storey building from Hatirjheel lake area, after it was opened to public one and a half years ago.
Although Rajuk had run eviction drives on different occasions since 2007, when the Hatirjheel and Begunbari canal integrated development project started, it did not move the structures elsewhere, out of consideration for religious sentiment.
The mosque, Masjide Baitul Mahfuz, was erected in Morolbari part of the lake. Syed Abdul Kader Jilani Jame Masjid and Madrasa is the mosque-cum-madrasa. The latter stands in Madhubagh Jhilpar part.
Last month, Rajuk carried out a drive against unplanned structures, illegal signboards and billboards in the project area, and formulated a rule banning the erection of any structures measuring more than 300 metres in height there.
The only way to reach Masjide Baitul Mahfuj is by a bamboo bridge and people have to take a boat to go to Syed Abdul Kader Jilani Jame Masjid and Madrasa.
The Dhaka Tribune only found an old man at Masjide Baitul Mahfuj who, seeking anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune the imam of the mosque had gone to teach Arabic at the nearby residential area.
He said he had no idea who the authorities of the mosque were.
A few students were seen at Abdul Kader Madrasa taking Arabic lessons. The madrasa is run by Ahmedia Complex, located at a two-storey building in the area. Two men were found at the building but they refused to talk to the press.
The structures attenuate the beauty of the water-body and one of the city’s key recreational spaces.
Rubel Sheikh, a resident of Morolbari, said on Friday, a handful of people assemble to offer Jummah prayers at Masjide Baitul Mahfuj.
“I heard years ago that Rajuk would relocate the mosque but that has yet to happen,” he said.
“The lake has not only lost its beauty because of the structures but the toilets from those buildings are also polluting the lake water,” he added.
Project officials said the three structures occupied around 40 decimals of land in the water-body and a shrine had already been removed from the area.
Although all other structures within the 302-acre area stretching from Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue to Rampura Sluice Gate were removed, officials could not remove these, fearing the move could hurt people’s religious feelings.
After failing to remove the mosques, Rajuk revised the plan and allocated an additional Tk265 crore for land acquisition and construction of two U-loops. Of the sum, Tk193 crore was meant for acquiring lands for the mosques, madrasa and shrine.
Rajuk chief engineer (implementation) Md Emdadul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that all the illegal and unplanned structures would be removed from Hatirjheel area.
“The mosques will also be relocated immediately to a nearby place. Dhaka Deputy Commissioner’s Office has already been given money to acquire land for the relocation,” he said.
Mohammad Iftekhar Hossain, additional deputy commissioner of Dhaka DC Office, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have already managed lands for the relocation of two mosques, a madrasa and a shrine from the lake area.”
“The lands are located nearby and we will hand those over to Rajuk on July 10,” he said.
Iftekhar said: “Our responsibility is just to acquire the land and Rajuk is the authority that will be relocating the structures.”
