Construction of embankment without land acquisition in Koyra, Khulna
Abdul Kalam Gazi is a fisherman and lives in Jorshing village in Dakshin Bedkashi union of Koyra upazila. He bought 15 decimals of land adjacent to the embankment of the Shakbaria river and built a house there in 1992. Since then, he has been living with his family there. Now an embankment is being built on his land. The construction has already been started, but land has not yet been acquired. As a result, he has not got compensation.
Abul Kalam Gazi said, "I have been asked to remove my house. I have no other land. If the government takes this land, the authorities will give compensation. But we have not got. I don't know whether we will get any compensation or not. I have no money and land to build another house."
Like Abul Kalam Gazi, Yunus Sardar is facing the same crisis. While removing his thatched house, he said, "I bought 12 decimals of land and built the house. Contractors and Water Development Board (WDB) officials asked me to remove the house. However, I have not got any notice for land acquisition."
WDB has started construction without acquisition of the privately owned land for the embankment construction and rehabilitation project in Koyra of Khulna. Local people near the embankment have become worried.
They alleged they have been evicted before giving compensation money. They fear whether they will get it or not.
When contacted, WDB Khulna executive engineer Ashraful Alam said, "We have to acquire 35 acres of land for the project. We have sent a proposal to the water resources ministry for administrative approval. If the approval is given, the affected people will be compensated through the deputy commissioner."
About starting construction before land acquisition, he said land acquisition is a time consuming matter. The construction of the embankment will be delayed after the land acquisition and the entire area may be inundated in the coming rainy season. For this reason, the construction of the embankment has been started.
Khulna WDB sources said 32 kilometers of embankment will be constructed pn 14/1 poldar to protect Dakshin Bedkashi and Uttor Bedkashi unions from cyclone and storm surge. 14/1 poldar is on the bank of Kopotakkho and Shakbaria rivers.
While visiting Jorshing, Angtihara, Choramukha and Golkhali villages in Dakshin Bedkashi union, it was found residents are removing their houses. Most of them don't know anything about land acquisition.
Nur Baksh Sheikh, a resident of Angtihara village, said, "We live on fishing in the river. We have a small amount of land. The government is taking away the land. The construction of the embankment has started. But we have not got any compensation. We have not got any government notice."
Dakshin Bedkashi union parishad chairman Md Aser Ali Moral said the construction of the embankment should start after the land acquisition. The locals would not have been affected if an alternative arrangement had been made.