Nearly 200 illegal structures and shops were demolished on the eviction drive jointly conducted by Chandpur Roads and Highways Department and local administration.
The three day-long operation, which began on Monday morning, targeted unauthorised encroachments along Chandpur-Cumilla regional highway (up to Lalmai) and Pennai Road.
The drive was conducted in the presence of Md Masud Rana, executive magistrate of Chandpur Deputy Commissioner’s Office, and Yunus Ali, executive engineer of Chandpur Roads and Highways Department, alongside members of the police force.
According to reports, an illegal market named “Jinn Market” was built overnight about 14 years ago in front of Mubarak Market in Baburhat area, occupying the highway’s land.
This unauthorised establishment had been causing severe traffic congestion on the road for years.
Local residents expressed their gratitude to the road department for finally reclaiming the road after more than a decade of illegal occupation.
However, the drive along Pennai Road drew complaints from local traders. A businessman operating along the road claimed that while announcements regarding the eviction had been made via loudspeakers (miking) along the Chandpur-Cumilla regional highway, no prior notice or announcement was given for Pennai Road.
“We appealed to the magistrate several times, but we were not given any time to move our goods, which resulted in massive financial losses for us,” he said.
Executive Engineer Yunus Ali confirmed that approximately 200 illegal structures and shops were removed on the first day of the three-day programme.
Regarding post-eviction plans, Ali mentioned that a portion of the reclaimed land would be utilised for road widening, while the remaining areas would be beautified by planting tree saplings.
He added that all illegal structures along the highway would be demolished in phases, and regular monitoring would be maintained to prevent any future attempts at re-occupation.
