Local residents claim the delay allowed the majority of the pond to be filled before action was taken
The Department of Environment (DoE) seized an excavator in Chattogram’s Chawkbazar area on Sunday morning following allegations of illegally filling a century-old pond.
The enforcement action came in response to a report published in The Climate Watch on June 28, titled “Historic Pond Illegally Filled with Excavator in Broad Daylight in Chattogram—No Action Despite Complaint to Environment Department.”
The DoE has issued a notice summoning the accused to appear for a hearing at its Chattogram Metropolitan Office on 1 July.
The operation, conducted near the Boro Mia Mosque, was led by Urmi Sarker, Assistant Director, and Rumpa Sikder, Inspector at the DoE’s Chattogram office.
Confirming the incident, Muktadir Hasan, Deputy Director of the DoE, Chattogram Metropolitan, said, “Following the report published in The Climate Watch, we attempted to carry out a raid on Saturday night, but it was delayed due to manpower shortage. The operation was later executed this morning.”
Inspector Rumpa Sikder told The Climate Watch, “During the raid, we found an excavator actively filling a low-lying area. While locals claimed it was previously a pond, no visible trace remained during the inspection as much of it had already been filled.”
She added that the filling activity was halted, and the excavator was seized and placed in the custody of a local guardian. The accused has been directed to present land documents at the DoE office during the 1 July hearing. Legal action will be taken based on verification of the land records, she said.
According to residents, the pond—measuring approximately 36 shatak (0.36 acres)—was located beside the Saleh Ahmed Vendor House on KB Aman Ali Road. Survey records show the pond originally belonged to Saleh Ahmed and was later inherited by his daughters. One of the heirs, Javedul Alam, reportedly purchased the land from them.
Locals allege that around two years ago, a Saudi expatriate named Ayub Ali bought four shatak of the pond, filled it, and built a semi-permanent structure. Recently, Javedul Alam began filling the remaining area to develop residential plots, prompting residents to file written complaints to the DoE on 20 and 24 June.
The enforcement operation was finally carried out on Sunday, 29 June. However, residents claim the delay allowed the majority of the pond to be filled before action was taken.
A recent report revealed that over 24,000 ponds have disappeared from Chattogram city in the past four decades due to negligence and inadequate enforcement of environmental laws, posing serious threats to the city’s ecological balance.
