All installations at the port are under the control of some ruling party men, locals alleged.

The ruling party men grabbed port lands, constructed about 80 shops and a fish market and realise rent from those. They also use a godown, office building and passenger shed of the port, locals alleged.

The river port was constructed on 1.26 acres of land at a cost of Tk. 1.7 crore. All the installations including two ramps, one godwon, passenger shed, office building and internal road were handed it over to Karimganj upazila administration and now they supervise and maintain the port and collect toll from users and water transports, Abu Yusuf, Assistant Engineer of Kishoreganj Local Government and Engineering Department said.

In 1993 the than water transport minister in a public meeting at chamra river port declared that chamra river port would be constructed at a cost of Tk. 40 crore as it was the gate way to haor areas of at lest districts.

Dulal Miah, who runs a hotel in the port compound, said that he pays Tk 5000 as annual rental to the ruling party men. Another shopkeeper Nurunnabi said he also pays Tk. 5000.

During a visit to the river port, over 100 vessels were seen anchored at the approach road cum dam, causing erosion of the road as the concrete slabs are displaced or removed.

If the approach road is damaged, Chamra river port will be affected, LGED sources said.

Chowdhury Kamrul Hasan, Principal of Itna college in haor area, said every day thousands of people from haor areas of six districts use the river port but it is risky for the users as there is no harbour.

Vessel operators said they can not use the port in monsoon due to flaw in the construction.

This correspondent saw some locals removing concrete slabs from the dam, making it vulnerable to erosion.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) K M Ruhul Amin said, he will take steps to stop the illegal activities and protect the embankment.