In the face of a strong protest, local administration retreated from demolishing illegal establishments on the Bakkhali riverbanks in Cox’s Bazar on Friday.
An angry crowd confined law enforcers and administrative officials and damaged an excavator during their demolition drive in Nuniarchar area of the tourist district town.
The protesters blocked the road, and some even moved toward the officers leading the eviction effort. They set fire to tires on the main road and chanted anti-eviction slogans.
In response, police and the army rushed to the scene to control the situation, but they were confined.
Sarwar Kamal, former mayor of Cox’s Bazar City Corporation, attempted to calm the situation. The protesters agreed to lift the blockade on the condition that the eviction process be temporarily suspended.
He added, “They’re attacking the people like Pakistani invaders. You didn’t even check their documents. They’re causing destruction based on instructions from Dhaka.”
Encouraging the angry protesters to return home, he said, “We’ve spoken with the district administration. The eviction will not take place now.”
“A meeting will be held at the district administration office in the afternoon, where decisions will be made after further discussion.”
Officer-in-charge of Cox’s Bazar Sadar Model Police Station Elias Khan said that law enforcers made every effort to peacefully remove the protesters from the road.
The blockade on the main road also caused disruptions in traffic at Cox’s Bazar airport, leading to passenger inconvenience, he added.
Cox’s Bazar Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Nizam Uddin Ahmed confirmed that a meeting would take place at the district administration office in the afternoon to decide the next steps.
