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Remove illegal brick kilns to save Basila

Locals stage a demonstration on mechanised boats

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Local people have demanded immediate removal of all illegal brick kilns which diverted a channel of the Buriganga devouring 27 houses at Basila since August 13.
The river yesterday devoured one more house and threatened several others with erosion.
In support of their demand, about a hundred people demonstrated on mechanised boats in the river carrying banners and placards pleading for saving the suburban locality from
destruction.
They also demanded immediate installation of culverts under the one-kilometer-long Basila Road, which they said, was necessary for quick flow of huge floodwaters.
The demonstrators urged the authorities concerned to take action against the real estate developers who are rapidly filling up miles of flood plains.
They said the 250-year-old Basila might be wiped out from the map rendering thousands of families homeless if the authorities do not take those actions
immediately.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) yesterday announced through loudspeakers in the river about the ban on navigation from 6:00pm yesterday to 6:00pm on September 2.
Acting Chairman of BIWTA Sunil Kanti Bose told The Daily Star that by dredging an alternative channel near the brick kilns, they were trying to divert the violent current from Basila.
"Alongside the dredging, we shall dump the dug-out-earth on the eroded part of Basila from tomorrow to cut
down the force of the current," he added.
Engineers, present at the dredging site, said unless the brick kilns are removed, Basila would always be exposed to serious erosion.
They said the brick kilns would continue to divert the river channel in the future also as at least one kilns is situated on the river channel.
"The kilns must go, otherwise all efforts to save the locality would bear no fruit," a senior engineer pointed out.
According to Savar land administration, an eviction notice has already been served to the owners of the kilns.