Encroachment shrinks Gulshan Lake as illegal parking business expands

An illegal vehicle parking business is expanding on a portion of Gulshan Lake near Masjid-e-Gausul Azam in the capital, with influential individuals gradually encroaching on the lake by dumping bricks, sand, and soil.

The involved group is reportedly earning Tk40 lakh annually by renting out the land for parking.

The illegal filling of the lake escalated recently when a new section was filled last week, prompting intervention from the Department of Environment (DoE) to halt the activity. Following this, the company responsible, Kaderia Publications and Products Ltd, signed a bond agreeing to cease further lake filling.

According to Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), Kaderia Publications has been filling a significant portion of the lake for the last 15 years. The recent attempt to resume filling raised alarms among authorities, prompting a swift response to prevent further encroachment.

However, officials from Kaderia Publications denied the allegations, claiming they are not involved in any new filling activities. They assert that the dispute with Rajuk has been resolved, and all work in the area has been suspended.

Parking operation

Local sources and residents accuse Kaderia Publications of illegally filling the lake to expand its parking operation, which now accommodates around 50 vehicles. Parking fees vary, ranging from Tk8,500 per month for large vehicles like buses and trucks to Tk5,500 for cars.

A site guard, speaking on condition of anonymity, told TBS, "I've been working here for over five years. Every year, they dump soil and sand to expand the area. It used to be for 15-20 vehicles, but now about 50 park here regularly."

Vehicles parked on an illegally reclaimed section of Gulshan Lake near Masjid-e-Gausul Azam in the capital. Influential individuals have reportedly encroached on the lake by dumping bricks, sand, and soil, allegedly earning around Tk40 lakh annually by renting out the space for parking. The photo was taken recently. Photo: Md Jahidul Islam

The environment department recently intervened to halt a fresh round of filling and secured a written pledge from Kaderia Publications to cease further encroachment.

Rajuk officials have confirmed that a significant portion of the lake has been filled by the company since 2009.

Recent filling

A recent visit by The Business Standard revealed ongoing encroachment, with a large section of the lake, outside the mosque boundary and near Bijoy Uttam AK Khandakar Road, freshly filled with soil and reinforced with bricks, sand, and gravel.

The 2022 gazetted Detailed Area Plan (DAP) by Rajuk designates this section as a protected water body, making any form of land filling or development illegal.

Google Earth imagery shows no filling between 2001 and 2008. However, from 2009, encroachment began, with a section of about 120 metres by 30 metres filled by 2011. Over time, this expanded, and now approximately 1.3 acres of the lake, around 200 metres long, has been fully filled.

Liakat Ali, a long-time resident of the area, said, "I've lived here for 25 years and have seen the lake vanish slowly. The walls and tin sheets around the site block the view, but when I travel by boat towards the slum area, I can clearly see how the lake is being filled."

Speaking to TBS, Kaderia Publications' General Manager Md Robiussaman said, "The area now known as Gulshan Lake was once lowland for rice cultivation. We've owned this land for years, only filling our property. We're not involved in any new filling, and the issues with Rajuk and the environment department have been resolved."

However, Rajuk's Chief Engineer (Implementation) Md Nurul Islam contradicted this, stating, "Once we became aware of their activities, the environment department intervened. We've asked them to submit a formal undertaking. If they fail to do so this week, we will file a case. Filling a designated water body is illegal – even on private land."

He added that the company has ignored multiple Rajuk notices over the years. "They've been filling the lake for 15 years, and this time, we are treating the matter with the utmost seriousness," he said.

In May 2013, the High Court summoned Kaderia Publications' owner AMM Bahuddin over allegations of filling Gulshan Lake, imposing a one-month injunction to halt further activity. More recently, on 21 October last year, the environment department stopped a fresh filling operation near the culvert connecting Gulshan and Mohakhali.