The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), in contravention of rules, has allocated space on the footpath of city’s Kazi Alauddin Road in the Phulbaria area, to leaders from the ruling party.
Former officials of estate department of the city corporation had illegally allotted space on the road in front of Central Veterinary Hospital and west side of Fire Brigade Office of Phulbaria in the capital, city corporation sources said.
Preferring to remain anonymous, an official of DSCC said former estate officer of the corporation Mohammad Didarul Alam had made the illegal allotment.
The matter became known only after those who had been awarded the space recently set up business there.
Administrator Nozmul Islam directed officials to take steps to demolish illegal structures.
Following the directive, DSCC Executive Magistrate Mohammad Autul Mondal along with the incumbent Assistant Estate Officer Samsul Alam went to the area Tuesday in a bid to knock down the illegal establishments.
However, the eviction team returned empty handed as the plot recipients showed allotment paper approved by the city corporation authority.
According to the allotment papers, the DSCC estate department temporarily allocated 45.5 square feet to the recipients, on the payment of Tk15 per month per square foot.
But the recipients, Md Shaheb and Md Shohag are in the process of building seven shops on 149 square feet of land. Around 80% of the construction work has been completed.
The recipients applied in December 5, 2011 and were awarded space on June 3, 2012.
On a visit to the area Tuesday, this correspondent found that the shops have been established permanently, though the city corporation had only made a temporary allotment.
Local people alleged that though the allotment was made in the name of Md Shaheb and Md Shohag, some leaders of associations affiliated to the ruling party had also become involved in building shops to earn a share of the pie.
Executive Magistrate of the city corporation Mohammad Autul Mondal told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are currently verifying the allotment papers, so it is not possible to say anything at the moment. We will take the next steps soon.”
