Parts of a power plant owned by ruling party MP Md Aslamul Haque of Dhaka 14 have been demolished for encroaching on the Buriganga river.
Officials of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) knocked down establishments of Maisha Power Plant during an eviction drive at the Char Washpur area on Tuesday.
According to officials, the power plant had illegally encroached around five acres of land that belong to the Buriganga River.
BIWTA Executive Magistrate Habibur Rahman Hakim, also the deputy secretary for Ministry of Shipping, confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune.
Present during the drive, MP Aslamul said: "According to the survey done by the court and the river commission, my establishment is not illegal."
"I will not let this [the eviction drive] go without scrutiny. I will take legal action against BIWTA. They unfairly knocked down by establishment without giving me a prior notice. I took permission from BIWTA for everything that I have built."
Replying to which, Habibur, said: "We gave permission for the construction of a jetty as he [Aslamul] was running a power plant which needs constant fuel supply but not to fill up the place with sand."
Mustafizur Rahman, an employee of the Maisha Group, was arrested for obstructing the drive, he added.
Locals said Awami League MP Aslamul also grabbed lands of multiple Char Washpur village residents for the construction of the plant, without providing any compensation.
On the 18th day of the special drive, around three acres of land was recovered and Tk2.5 lakh was fined to different establishment owners encroaching on the Buriganga.
