A private organisation has been allegedly filling up the Khoiladi Beel for a housing project choking the water body and causing environmental damage in Gazipur City Corporation (GCC).

The organisation named 'Alem-Ulama and Deendar Property' is filling the Beel by changing the classification of the water body, alleged locals.

Witnesses said, dredger pipes have been installed two kilometers away, up to the Turag River to fill up the 75 bighas of wetland with sand. This Beel has been mentioned as a reservoir in Gazipur City Corporation and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha's Detailed Area Plan (DAP). Besides, the land is classified as an agricultural field in the government survey.

Alem-Olama and Dindar Property started buying the land of the Beel about 14 years ago, in the name of fish farming. Late Maulana Fazlul Haque Amini was the chairman of the institution at that time. After his death, Maulana Faizullah was made the chairman, said Farhad Hossain, a farmer resident of Majlishpur area. Now the organisation has started implementing a housing project by filling the Beel, he said.

"Earlier, the organisation asked me to sell my land near the Beel area but as I didn't agree, so the company has made huge hole around my house by cutting soil which also closed the road connecting to my house. Due to the deep hole, the soil of surrounding areas is also collapsing; my family is living at our home with great risk", Farhad Hossain stated.

Shukkur Ali, an elderly resident of Itahata area said, "There are hundreds of bighas of land in the Beel. A large number of people do fishing in the Beel during the monsoon season and local farmers use the waterbody for irrigation during the Boro season. This Beel is the main source of their income. Their livelihood would be in great danger if the Beel is filled, the area will be fish-free and biodiversity will be lost."

According to the Land Ministry, filling up water bodies and agricultural land is illegal but the Gazipur Environment Office has reportedly given clearance for the housing project ignoring the ban, locals alleged.

After getting complaints from the people of the area, the official of the local union land office visited the spot for investigation and submitted a written report to the Assistant Commissioner (Land) of Sadar upazila office. Later, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Rafe Mohammad directed the Alem-Ulama Deendar Properties to stop filling up the Beel; but the company is continuing the work unabatedly.

AC Land Rafe Mohammad said, there is no chance to change the class of the land without getting permission from the authorities.

Apart from this, as per Section 5 of the Natural Water Reservoir Conservation Act, 2000, the classification of places identified as natural reservoirs cannot be changed in metropolitan areas, he explained.

Alem Ulama and Deendar Propaty Director Maulana Mufti Md Taiyab Hossain said "The land we bought is not a reservoir. Water accumulates here during only monsoon. Water also accumulates in Dhaka city as well. The sand filling work was started after getting permission from the Deputy Commissioner, AC land, Environment Department, and other related offices."

On the contrary, Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Abul Fate Mohammad Safiqul Islam said that the organisation was not permitted to fill up the Beel.

"The class of land has not been changed and filling water bodies and changing land classification is illegal. Necessary steps will be taken after investigating the matter.", he added.