Several groups of influential people have been allegedly occupying the space of the Companiganj-Nabinagar road and a canal beside it in the Bangra Bazar area of Nabinagar upazila in Brahmanbaria district imposing acute environmental hazards on the locals.

The scenario came to light after a social organisation “Tari Bangladesh”, shared video footage of illegal encroachments in the area, on its social media Facebook. The video showed that a considerable number of shops and business establishments were being built occupying the land of the road and a canal beside it.  

Locals alleged that a number of mindless officials of the Roads and Highways Department of the upazila and groups of influential people and huge amounts of money are involved in the matter. With unabated encroachments the road along with the canal is narrowing rapidly causing great natural hazards and increasing traffic congestion in the upazila, they said.

A pedestrian unwilling to be named said, “Once the Companiganj-Nabinagar road was wide, there was no traffic jam but now traffic jams have become common phenomena here.”

Shamim Ahmed, the convener of “Tari Bangladesh”, said during the time of former Nabinagar MP Ebadul Karim Bulbul, around 200 illegal structures were evicted from the Bangra Bazar area. "We had news that currently, occupiers are again building shops and structures. For verification, a team of social organisation 'Tari Bangladesh' visited the spot recently and saw a number of illegal shops and structures being built beside the road and canal.”

On 23 April 23, Tari filed an application with the Brahmanbaria Deputy Commissioner seeking eviction of the illegal encroachments.

“We visited the northern side of the market and walked to the bridge over the Ader canal at the southern end of the market. I was more surprised to see the situation under the bridge there! There we also saw an illegal bridge that has been disrupting the navigation route of the canal.”, Shamim Ahmed said.

He said, “During the on-site inspection, we received a complaint that a local influential group is permitting these shops built in government places. In exchange, they are taking a large amount of money. A number of illegal occupants, who did not want to be named, said that they have paid from Tk1 lakh to Tk1.5 lakh per person to get the position of their shops.”

Meanwhile, the President of Bangra Bazaar Committee and UP Chairman, Rabiul Alam Rabi, said, “Everyone is building shops on the side of the road with personal initiative, no money transaction was involved in the matter. Local traders were already doing business here. Earlier they moved the shops responding to a request of the former MP for the construction of a guide wall on the road.”

Executive Engineer Mir Nizam Uddin Ahmed said, “We are aware of the matter. An application has been sent to the Brahmanbaria Deputy Commissioner for operating the eviction drive. We will carry out the eviction drive after getting the magistrate.”

Besides, Nabinagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tanbir Farhad Shamim said, “A Facebook post of ‘Tari’ came to my attention. I have also spoken to the Deputy Commissioner about this. I have inquired through the office of the Assistant Commissioner (Lands) and found that the illegally occupied areas belong to the Roads and Highways Department. If the concerned department wants cooperation in the evacuation drive, we will cooperate.”