The canal flows over Karnapara with Rajphulbaria on the south and the Bank Town on the north.

The river, also known as the Karnapara canal, actually links two rivers -- Bangshi and Turag, with a vibrant current, said AZM Sadequr Rahman Khan, one of the earliest residents of the Bank Town.

Locals alleged that retired banker Aminul Hadi's son Munir Akram-ul-Hadi alias Shilpi, a resident of the colony, has been applying various schemes for a while now to grab the bank of the canal.

He recently built a concrete structure on the southern side of the housing complex encroaching on the north bank of the canal. He claimed that he has gotten a lease on the land from Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), locals added.

According to sources at BIWTA Port Division that has jurisdiction over riverbanks, Shilpi applied for a lease, but the authorities did not lease the land out to him. Director of BIWTA Port Division Motahar Hossain said, "We did not lease the land out to anybody."

One of Shilpi's neighbours requesting anonymity complained that Shilpi has been causing various nuisances to the residents of the housing complex, but the housing society turned a blind eye to him. "We are under the impression that a section of office bearers of the housing society are helping Shilpi in his unlawful activities and wrongdoings."

A resident of the housing complex, whose house overlooks the river, said they chose to buy the house considering open air would flow from the river. "We are frustrated seeing the sudden development of concrete structure on the river bank," she said requesting not to be named, "But we don't dare to protest it, as the wrongdoer is a notorious person."

"We believe they (office bearers of the housing society) have a silent approbation to what Shilpi is doing," she said.

The role of office bearers at Abashik Griha Nirman Samabay Samity (formal name of the housing society) is mysteriously silent on the matter.

A senior banker and president of the housing society Dr M Asaduzzaman said the said land on the riverbank does not belong to the housing complex. BIWTA owns the land and it has to deal with the problem. "We have nothing to do, as it is not our concern," said Asaduzzaman.

Regarding the society's silent approbation to the illegal act, he said the allegation was not correct.

One of the earliest residents of the housing complex and a former secretary general of the society, AZM Sadequr Rahman Khan disagreed with the incumbent president that the society has nothing to do in this regard.

"The illegal act of destroying the environment and landscape of a river has a direct bearing on the immediately nearby Bank Town housing complex," said Khan, who too is a retired senior banker.

He said that he arranged tree plantation on the riverbank for protection of the canal bank, ornamental plantation for beatification and maintenance of the banks during his two tenures in the society. Unfortunately, the land occupier (Shilpi) has destroyed everything he had done.

The society has been repeatedly making attempts to get a lease of the land since 1982 for its maintenance and protection, said Khan.

A housing project of Agrani Bank, the Bank Town is situated near the Karnapara Bridge and has at least 400 plots since 1979.

When contacted, Shilpi claimed that he got a long-term lease on the land from the ministry of land in 2005, which is owned by BIWTA and Roads and Highways department. "I have got the lease on the land for development and establishment of structure like granary from the land ministry."