Eviction drive in Ichamati River resumes after a year

The eviction drive to free the Ichamati River in Pabna resumed this morning, a year after it started for dredging work to revive the river's water flow.

The drive was suspended on March 15 last year when grabbers filed several cases against the eviction drive. 

Due to the legal procedure, the authorities suspended the drive after removing 100 structures built illegally on a one-kilometre area of the river, said Mosharraf Hossain, assistant director of Pabna Water Development Board, reports our Pabna correspondent.

The WDB has already identified over 1,100 illegal structures on both sides of the river in Pabna town, according to a Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet)study.

The official also said, "We have resumed the drive in the one-kilometre area stretching from Library Bazaar Bridge point as there is no legal bar at present to conduct the drive. 

The eight-kilometre long Ichamati River originated from the Padma River, turned into a narrow canal and it lost its source of the water flow after the grabbers occupied it.

The drive may continue till the next two or three days, Mosharraf said. 

Meanwhile, most of the encroachers alleged that they did not get any notice about the eviction drive. 

Denying the allegation, WDB Executive Engineer Md Rafikul Islam, said this is an ongoing project, so no need for further notice.