River grabbed to build market

AL lawmaker inspires Golachipa administration to build new market, save town
A wall being built in the Ramnabad river near Golachipa town in Patuakhali for the Golachipa Newmarket. The photo on the right shows the signboard for the proposed market, which a ruling party lawmaker is backing to "save the Golachipa town from tidal surges".

Photo: STAR
Sohrab Hossain, Patuakhali

The upazila administration with the help of a ruling party lawmaker is building a market on the bank of the river Ramnabad at Golachipa in the name of protecting the town from tidal surge.

Bizarre it may sound - even after the land administration of Golachipa upazila informed about the wrongdoing the upazila administration sanctioned 100 metric tonnes (MT) of rice under the government's Test Relief project to finance it.

Without specifying the amount of money Golam Mowla Roni, Awami League MP of Patuakhali-3, claims to have financially contributed to the so-called 'Golachipa New Market' project.

During a visit to the spot this correspondent found a brick wall being erected on a stretch of 1150 feet by 380 feet area by the bank of the river. Earth filling was also going on.

Barisal district environment department, Golachipa municipality as well as the upazila land administration -- all termed the market project illegal and unauthorised.

The lawmaker, however, told The Daily Star, 'I have taken the initiative to build a new market along the riverside as it will protect the town and also serve the interests of local businessmen.'

He claimed that the would-be market will not obstruct the natural water flow of the river and said, 'I'll distribute shops among local businessmen as per government policy.”

Golachipa Municipality Mayor Abdul Wahab Khalifa told The Daily Star that the market is being built without any prior permission from the municipality though such approval is required to raise any commercial structures within the municipality areas.

When contacted Golachipa Assistant Commissioner of Land Mohammad Jahangir said, “It is government's khas land and the land office has not given allotment to anyone. Even nobody has sought any permission from us for building any establishment.”

“I informed my higher officials of the matter,” he said without any further details.

Deputy Director for Environment Department in Barisal Kaysar Ahmed expressed his department's ignorance about such initiative and said, “It's illegal to fill the land of a river and it will obstruct the normal water flow.”

Golakhali Union Parishad Chairman Razzak Mia acknowledged that the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) sanctioned 100 MT rice under the government Test Relief project to complete the market project and he himself is overseeing it.

When contacted Abul Kasem Md Mohiuddin, UNO of Golachipa, told this correspondent, “A step has been taken to develop the land on the riverbank. After developing the land, allotments will be given to local businessmen through land office by marking the area as non-agricultural land.”

“Roni, lawmaker for Patuakhali-3 (Golachiapa-Dashmina), has taken the step to build a new market on the riverbank and he is also financially contributing to the project,” the UNO added.

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