The authorities of Railway East Zone have failed to carry out their scheduled four-day eviction drive against illegal occupants mainly due to lack of coordination among different organisations.
Sources in the railway said the Land Property Department of the Railway East Zone had announced the eviction schedule against illegal encroachers in the foothills of six hills owned by the railway from July 14 to July 18, excepting July 17. But they have failed to run the eviction drive due to lack of coordination among various organisations, including the district administration and the City Corporation.
The railway authorities said the eviction drive could not be carried out due to the absence of magistrates despite the presence of policemen. Before giving such campaign schedule in the future, it will be coordinated with the district administration, they said.
According to the district administration, they could not provide the magistrate assistance due to the ongoing HSC examination and quota movement. Due to the lack of coordination, the eviction drive could not be carried out. The Railway Estate Officer is informed to conduct the operation, so that coordination with the district administration will be done before scheduling the eviction drive. If they coordinate such schedules with the concerned organisations and the district administration, this operation could have been carried out. “I can't say exactly when they gave us the letter. There will be no problem in implementation if the decision is taken by coordinating the issue,” said the official of district administration.
Sources said a meeting of the hill management committee decided that the returning wall would be constructed by evicting the illegal settlements built on the hills owned by the railways. According to the decision, schedules have been announced two times this year to run eviction drive against illegal occupants. But the railway authorities have not been able to conduct any drive so far.
On June 24, the hill management committee at its 27th meeting, presided over by Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Md Tofail Islam, decided to remove the vulnerable and illegal people living on the hills or land owned by the railways. In collaboration with the Chattogram district administration, instructions were given to start the eviction drive. But the railway eviction campaign did not take place due to the absence of magistrates.
CMP Public Relations Officer Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Kazi Md Tarek Azim said, "Last week, the Chattogram Railway sent a letter for policemen. We kept the police force ready. Although the force was ready for two consecutive days, the railway authorities did not inform us about the cancellation of the drive.”
The railway authorities announced the four-day eviction drive from July 14 to July 18 against the illegal encroachers in the foothills of six hills owned by the railway. This was informed in a letter signed by Railway Divisional Land Property Officer Assistant Secretary Dipankar Tanchangya on July 10. The letter said Chattogram Railway will conduct operations on July 14 at Sholashar Station Colony, on July 15 in the hilly area of Polytechnic, next to the Department of Environment, on July 16 in Tigerpass and behind Mama-Vaghina Shrine in the same area and on July 18 in the foothills of Motijharna Batali Hills.
The railway authorities also could not run the eviction drive on January 18 this year in Dulahazara station area of Chakaria Police Station in Cox's Bazar, on January 24 in Master Lane Railway Colony of Pahartali Ward and lastly on January 29, as per the review petition (286/2023) order of the Supreme Court Appellate Division, in Plot-61 and 62 area under the railway master plan of West Motherbari.
