Illegally occupied canals must be vacated: Mayor Taposh

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor, Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, has said everyone must vacate illegally occupied canals and adjacent areas whatever their social or political identities may be.

"Names do not matter to us. We will begin demolishing the illegal 10-storey building here today (Wednesday). I will visit here again next Wednesday and I hope the part of the building over the canal will not be there by then," he said.

He made the remark speaking to the media after launching the delimitation programme of the Adi (original) Buriganga channel in the area adjacent to the Kalu Nagar Sluice Gate.

He said this demarcation process is being done in cooperation with all government agencies involved with  the Adi Buriganga channel.

"We have already started excavation work. From Wednesday, we are fully engaged with our district administration, Water Development Board, BIWTA and other organisations to measure the boundaries," he said.

The mayor said the installation of permanent boundary pillars will also start Wednesday.

He said the DSCC and other government agencies like the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, the Water Development Board and the district administration are working on demarcating the channel permanently.

Taposh said their joint efforts will be visible very soon and they hope the Adi Buriganga channel will go back to what it once was.

In line with Adi Buriganga's CS and other designs, Dhaka South City Corporation is reclaiming the river basin or river border, Taposh added.

"We will evict all illegal occupants based on the design plans and create an aesthetic environment so that people can walk and ride bicycles. We will establish public spaces so that people can enjoy the river," said the mayor.