Hawkers occupy Barisal BIWTA land with mayoral nod!

They moved onto the BIWTA land selected for construction of a river port terminal complex and a market with blessings from a section of ruling Four Party Alliance leaders and law enforcers, it was gathered.

During a visit to the area on Friday, many of the 124 illegal occupants were seen even raising pucca constructions on the site close to offices of the Deputy Commissioner, the Police superintendent, BCC and land settlement office.

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Sources there said the hawkers moved to the area Thursday night and raised constructions overnight.

They were evicted from bank of the pond for expansion of a road and beautification of the area, sources said.

When asked, Md. Rintu, a leader of a hawkers' association aligned with the ruling party, claimed that they moved to the BIWTA land (Balur Math) on a verbal order from the Mayor of Barisal City Corporation (BCC) and so they do not have to bother about any problem with BIWTA.

He claimed illegal slum dwellers on the Balur Math were evicted to make room for them.

Rahim Mia, an evicted slum dweller now living under the open sky, said they were given five to six hundred taka per family and assured of rehabilitation on newly emerged shoals in the port area.

Ranajit Kumar Das, Chief Executive Officer and Md. Nurul Islam, Chief Engineer of BCC, when contacted, declined to make any comment regarding occupation of the BIWTA land by hawkers.

When contacted, BCC Mayor Majibur Rahman Sarwar MP told local journalists that the hawkers were "temporarily sheltered' on the Balur Math for their survival.

The BIWTA land was under illegal occupation earlier also. BIWTA never evicted the illegal occupants, he said.

When contacted, Aslam Hossain, an official at Barisal port, said they will go for legal action against the illegal occupation of BIWTA land.

Local people hailed the eviction of hawkers from near prime administrative buildings but deplored their occupation of the land in the port area.