ACCORDING to environmentalists, the construction of a 10-storey Future Park on the river Sonai, Habiganj would violate multiple laws and lead to the eventual demise of the river. The land is being grabbed by setting up border pillars inside the river, thus decreasing its width and encumbering the flow of water.

In 2009, the High Court directed that the water's reach during rainy season is to be considered when demarcating the river area, and an additional fifty metres on each side of the river is to be counted as the total area of the river. However, environmentalists allege that the building is being constructed in violation of the said directive. A photo taken by The Daily Star, during the last rainy season, corroborates the claim, showing the building is being established on what should legally constitute the river area.

According to port rules 1966, land management directives 1991, wetland conservation act 2000, and water act 2013, even if the land over which the river flows is privately owned, one cannot fill or building any structure there. Notably, the shipping ministry imposed a ban on the building last year, arguing that the structure was hindering the free course of the river.

We are concerned that instead of implementing this ban, another taskforce was formed, which concluded this year that the structure stands on private property and hence must be permitted. However, the taskforce's spot visit was conducted during the dry season, and not during monsoon, as directed by the law.

We urge the government to look into the issue and reconsider the taskforce's decisions in light of river-related laws. Furthermore, the 2009 HC order must be upheld, and wrongly placed demarcation pillars must be removed immediately if we are to protect our rivers.