CHITTAGONG, June 14: Chittagong district administration on Sunday in the backdrop of heavy shower and upcoming monsoon started eviction of the residents of unauthorized dwellings illegally set up on the hillocks and risky places in the port city.
The administration came up with the move in order to avert possible loss of lives from landslides in the monsoon as the soil on the hills become softer and may trigger a landslide, posing threat to the lives of the low-living people dwelling on those risky hills pockets during the rainy season.
A five-member team led by Assistant Commissioner (Land), Sadar circle, Saiful Islam visited the slopes of Matijharna area around 1.30am and began the eviction drive.
The eviction team evicted 17 makeshift houses from the area and also slashed the supply of electricity and water to the houses during the drive.
Saiful, after the eviction drive, told journalists that despite several notices served from the district administration, the families were still living in the hill at a very dangerous state.
He also said the authorities would gradually evict all families living in different risky hills in the city.
AC-Land, Agrabad circle, Abu Hossain Siddique, AC-Land, Chandgaon circle, Mohammad Afzal Hossain and executive magistrate of Chittagong WASA Mohammad Shamsuzzaman were present, among others, during the eviction drive.
The district administration at the advent of the monsoon every year, takes different rehabilitation programmes to relocate the risky hill-dwellers but in spite of knowing the impending dangers, the people of low income group mostly the rickshaw pullers and day labourers erect their temporary structures and start living in those hills.
According to the reports provided by the Chittagong Hill Management Committee, a total of 13 hills in the city are in very dangerous state to live.
At least 180 people were killed in different landslides in the city during last eight years including 127 dead on June 11, 2007.
Chittagong City Corporation, Chittagong Development Authority, Bangladesh railway and the District Administration authorities have been carrying out drives to evict people living at risky spots to stop recurrence of hill and landslides.