Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 130 Sun. October 03, 2004  
   
National


22 acre CPA land recovered


Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) in a day-long drive on Thursday recovered 22.18 acres of land worth around Tk 70 crore from alleged illegal occupation of Bangladesh Railway in Halishahar in the city for about 44 years.

A CPA team led by its Magistrate Mohammad Munir Chowdhury demolished structures with assistance of police and Ansars and took possession of the lands.

After recovery, the CPA authorities erected barbed-wire fencing around the lands and deployed a 50-member Ansar team for their protection from encroachers.

According to CPA sources, the lands were acquired through the then Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong in 1953-54 for development and expansion of Chittagong port. In 1960, the lands were officially transferred to the then Chittagong Port Trust (present CPA) and all records updated but those were not physically handed over, CPA sources claimed. The railway had so far been leasing the lands to different parties.