Nationwide drive against river, canal grabbers from 31 March

The Ministry of Water Resources is going to resume drive against illegal occupiers from 31 March in a bid to reclaim the grabbed rivers, canals, and water bodies across the country.
 
Kabir Bin Anwar, senior secretary to the water resource ministry, briefed the deputy commissioners and divisional commissioners on the matter at a virtual meeting held at the ministry on Tuesday, said a press release.  
 
He said, "We have already evicted 23,802 establishments in phases. To prevent recapture, excavation or environmentally friendly trees will be planted in the reclaimed areas. If there is a case following the eviction drive, we have to prepare to deal with it legally.''
 
Rokon Ud Daula, additional secretary to the ministry; Alam Ara Begum, additional secretary (Administration); Fazlur Rashid, additional director general of Bangladesh Water Development Board; Md Asafuddaula, project director of the rivers and canals re-excavation project; were present on the occasion.
 
The ministry had initially launched an eviction drive against 45,095 enlisted illegal establishments across the country.
 
After executing 52.78% of the plan, the authorities had to slow down the eviction drives in the face of the coronavirus outbreak. The drive will be resumed from 31 March.
 
The ministry will resume the drive to evict the remaining 21,293 establishments.