96 families evicted from Karatoa river banks

The upazila administration has evicted over 96 families from the banks of the Karatoa river in Tulardanga area in sadar upazila of Panchagarh on Monday, reports UNB.

The drive, led by sadar upazila nirbahi officer Md Golam Rabbani, started in the morning when upazila land officer Aminul Islam was present.

Local administration started the eviction drive as the families who had been living there illegally did not follow their previous instruction to leave the place, said officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB).

Meanwhile, the evicted families claimed that the administration assured them to warn three months ahead of the drive and allow the time for rehabilitation, but they started the drive all on a sudden.

Visiting the spot, UNB correspondent found more than 300 people were now living under open sky near the Eidgaon ground after the eviction.

BWDB engineer Md Mizanur Rahman told UNB that a park will be set up in the embankment area marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The authorities have allotted Tk 2.987 million for constructing the park, he added.