On February 12, the DoE fined Spectra Engineering Limited, a contracting firm, Tk5.23 crore for cutting hills at Sitakunda's Salimpur area. Instead of evicting the slum dwellers, the administration should take severe action against the hill grabbers who construct the shanties illegally on the hill slopes,” Sharif added. On some occasions, people living on hill slopes are evicted and utility connections are severed. But the evicted slum dwellers return to the risky hill slopes after a few days and the cat-and-mouse game continues every year without any exception,” said environmentalist Dr Edris Ali. The hills are owned by different government, autonomous, private organisations and individuals including Bangladesh Railway, Public Works Department, Chittagong Wasa, Chittagong City Corporation.

Source: Dhaka Tribune June 11, 2020 10:30 UTC