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State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury on Monday said 90 per cent river banks along the Dhaka city and its adjacent areas were freed from illegal encroachment.
“Work on stretching boundary pillar, solid wall and walkway is going on. The work of the river banks will be completed by 2023-2024,” he said.
The state minister came up with the information while visiting the Buriganga and Turag river banks project, reports UNB.
“We've faced many challenges during the drive against illegal encroachment but we overcame them with the support of the Prime Minister. Besides, the shipping ministry has a rigid stance on keeping the river banks of the city free from illegal occupiers,” he said.
The government has taken a tree plantation programme in a bid to build ‘green wall’ on the river banks, said Khalid.
Besides, a master plan was approved for protecting the river, making it free from land grabbers, pollution and for the development of the environment and once implemented, river vessels can be operated through Dhaka, he said.
The Minister also inaugurated the tree plantation programme in Birulia.
Additional secretary to Shipping Ministry Anal Chandra Das, Chairman of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), Commodore Golam Mohammad Sadek and project director Nurul Haque were present there.