The main canal of Rajapur Bazar in the district is being grabbed by a union parishad (UP) chairman in the name of bazar development project.

The project is financed by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and is being implemented by Rajapur Union Parishad Chairman Mojbur Rahman Mridha, also president of Rajapur Bazar Committee.

A ghatla (boat landing steps), three one-storied buildings and a road are being built under the project, said district LGED Executive Engineer Md Ruhul Amin.

An enclosure has been erected by blocking three-fourths of the canal for the ghatla, and it will be filled up with sand.

Blocking of the canal poses a threat to communication by boat, agriculture, fisheries and drainage system of the locality, focal people said.

The canal was over 100 metres wide five years ago, but it is nearly dead now due to continuous

grabbing, said Foisal Ahmed, a resident of the town, adding that the canal has been killed in the name of so-called development by the chairman,.

Hundreds of acres of land along the canal will become barren if it is not saved from the clutches of the grabbers, said Alamin Hossain, a farmer of Monohorpur.

The canal will be totally grabbed by the construction, which will encourage other people who live along the canal to grab it, said Abdus Sukur, a resident on the bank of the canal.

"We use the canal water for our daily purposes although the water is not clean due to narrowing of the canal and dumping of waste into it. We will not get any water if the canal is killed," said 1 lasina Begum, another focal resident.

The whole town will be submerged in the rainy season if the canal is blocked, focal people said, adding that different areas already go under waler during rainy season.

“1 carry bricks and sand on trawler and boat

through the canal, bui it is not possible now due to construction of the structure," said Saiful Islam, a bricksupplier of the area.

The four-kilometre-long canal links the Dhanshiri and fangalia rivers according to the land office in Rajapur.

“If the canal is killed, the agriculture of the area will be badly affected," said Rajapur Department of Agriculture Extension Agriculture Officer Tilak Ghosh.

"The project is being carried out following the design of LGED," the HP chairman said, adding that he got the construction work through an open lender forTk 1.08 crore.

"Some pans of the enclosure will be opened after completion of the work," the executive engineer of LGED said.

"I have visited the spot and the canal will be opened after construction of the ghatla. If the water flow is affected by the ghatla, I will demolish it," said Upazila Nirbahi Officer Afroja Akter Lizu.