Bakkhali river eviction drive enters 2nd day: Occupiers injure constable, 4 detained
Police constable Karim was seriously injured in the scuffle and was rushed to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital.
On the second day of its eviction drive today (2 September) along the Bakkhali River at Kasturaghat, Cox's Bazar, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) demolition teams faced violent resistance around 11am, when occupiers hurled bricks at law enforcement.
Police constable Karim was seriously injured in the scuffle and was rushed to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital.
Four individuals were detained in connection with the attack, though their identities have not been verified.
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Cox's Bazar Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ilias Khan confirmed that a section of occupiers had attacked the team from behind, prompting security personnel to respond firmly. "Law enforcement and security forces acted swiftly to regain control, allowing the drive to continue," he said.
The operation, led by BIWTA and supported by police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and army personnel, aims to dismantle illegal establishments and restore the riverbanks, which have been encroached upon for over a decade.
Yesterday (1 September), the first day of the campaign, authorities demolished several unauthorised structures. Construction materials and landfill soil seized from the sites were auctioned publicly, with successful bidders responsible for removing the debris to restore the river's natural flow. Similar auctions will follow the current round of demolitions.
Md Khairuzzaman, assistant director of BIWTA's Cox's Bazar office, reported that over three acres of riverbank land have been reclaimed in just two days. Materials and soil from Monday's operation alone fetched Tk6,00,000 at auction. "Restoring the river to its original state is our top priority," he said. "The auction system ensures debris is cleared quickly and transparently."
The Bakkhali River, originating in Naikhongchhari, Bandarban, stretches 81 kilometres before meeting the Bay of Bengal at Nuniyachhara via Kasturaghat. Over the past decade, its natural course has been severely encroached, with more than 1,000 illegal structures built along the six-kilometre stretch between Nuniyachhara and Majhirghat.
A joint survey by the local land office and BIWTA identified over 300 influential encroachers.
The crisis dates back to 2010, when a government gazette appointed BIWTA custodian of the Bakkhali River Port and directed that 721 acres of riverbank land be transferred to the authority. Despite repeated requests, the handover never occurred, leaving the river vulnerable to unchecked occupation.
On 24 August, the High Court ordered the government to prepare a complete list of encroachers, carry out evictions, and enforce pollution control measures within four months.
The court also instructed that the river's boundaries be fixed according to its current flow and official survey records.
In response, retired Brigadier General M Sakhawat Hossain, adviser to the Ministry of Shipping, visited Cox's Bazar on Saturday (31 September) and chaired a coordination meeting at Hilltop Circuit House, pledging comprehensive clearance of all illegal structures.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Nizam Uddin Ahmed confirmed that the campaign would continue until all encroachments were removed and the river's boundaries formally demarcated.
