Illegal structures demolished to free Karatoa in Bogra

The district administration yesterday demolished illegal structures on both sides of the Karatoa River.

The drive was conducted by a mobile court to free the river from encroachment.

Police, members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and other concerned bodies joined the drive led by executive magistrate Habibul Hasan Rumi.

Contacted, the magistrate said the illegal structures in Chelopara, Nababbari and Sutrapur areas of Bogra town were demolished at the instructions of the district administration.

The structures belonged to Majed Hossian, Motiar Rahman, Ananda Kumar, Farid Uddin, Sanjit Kumar and Jobaidul Islam.

Upon a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), a High Court bench comprising Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque ordered the concerned authorities on June 22 to immediately stop dumping and discharging of waste into the Karatoa River in Bogra and Gaibandha.

The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain in four weeks why they should not be ordered to take necessary steps to protect the river from encroachment and pollution and restore its natural flow.