Published : 03 Apr 2023, 02:09 AM
Updated : 03 Apr 2023, 02:09 AM
Dhaka North authorities have objected to Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation’s plan to build a research facility in Gabtoli, arguing that the establishment will intensify the area’s waterlogging.
The city corporation sent a letter to Abdullah Sazzad, the chairman of BADC, to spell out its strong objection to building the Central Tissue Culture and Seed Health Laboratory, which has yet to be approved by Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha.
Selim Reza, chief executive officer of the city corporation, detailed how the planned establishment will hinder the drainage process and advised the government agency to get approval from RAJUK.
The 21.44-hectare land allocated for the establishment has been marked as a low-lying water body in Dhaka’s Detailed Area Plan, which, according to Ashraful Islam, RAJUK’s project director of DAP, made it virtually impossible for any individual or authorities to build any establishment on that piece of land.
BADC owns the plot and parts of the surrounding area. Drainage water from different areas of Dhaka North ends up on the land known as Kallyanpur Regulation Pond before reaching the Turag River.
Dhaka North City Corporation oversees the whole drainage operation.
“Water body laws dictate that even RAJUK can’t approve any plan for construction on such lands. Only the prime minister can make such a decision,” said DAP Project Director Ashraful.
He also said he was unaware of any BADC application for RAJUK’s approval to use the land to construct the research facility.
Mayor Atiqul Islam is worried about what will happen if BADC goes ahead with its plan to build the research facilities.
“The agency [BADC] is filling up the water body with sand as part of its construction project, which surely will hinder the water drainage process,” he said.
During a recent visit to the construction site, bdnews24.com found signs of construction work.
Workers were filling up the pond with sand and using an excavator to level the land. A small building was also being constructed there. They could not confirm the purpose of the building.
ABM Golam Mansur, director of the research facility project, said he had no idea that the DNCC had reservations about the construction of the building and that the BADC did not have approval from RAJUK.
The government approved the project to build research facilities on 4.45 hectares of BADC land long ago, according to him.
“I’m just executing the ministry-approved project,” said Mansur.
BADC Chairman Abdullah did not respond to calls or SMS for comment.
