NRCC calls for removal of Maisha Power Plant, Arisha Economic Zone from Buriganga, Turag
‘The lawmaker has made obstacles to the eviction drive conducted earlier and also filed several cases for nothing’
The National River Conservation Commission (NRCC) has reported that lawmaker Aslamul Haque's Maisha Power Plant and Arisha Economic Zone have been constructed grabbing a portion of land each belonging to Buriganga and Turag rivers respectively.
It recommended that the portions of river land occupied during establishing the two institutions be removed.
The NRCC came up with the report with a set of recommendations and after conducting a survey in line with the order of the High Court against a writ petition by the lawmaker of Dhaka-14 constituency.
In this regard, Joint Director Gulzar Ahmed of Dhaka River Port said the lawmaker has made obstacles to the eviction drive conducted earlier and also filed several cases for nothing.
"However, I am yet to be informed about the NRCC recommendations, but we will take action as per the decision of the authorities concerned," he added.
Chairman Commodore Golam Sadeq of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority said they have received the report but have not yet talked to any official about this, but very soon they will, and action will follow suit as per the recommendations.
"We will ask him (lawmaker) to vacate the illegal part of river land on his own. If he fails to do so, operation will be conducted by BIWTA. In this case, he has to bear all expenses," he added.
"We are not asking for removal of the whole power plant or the economic zone. We just want him to remove the portions of the rivers' land which he occupied while building the plant and the economic zone."
Earlier, the High Court issued directive to settle the issue with the lawmaker for which the eviction drive was stopped, said Golam Sadeq.
The lawmaker, however, termed the report fabricated and wrong. He said the river commission made the report whimsically.
"I have all the legal papers but none from the organisations looked at them while conducting the survey," he claimed.
He termed the report a sort of conspiracy against him.